Written in the Scars
by Gyoro and Ururun
Summary: Tasertricks! After his failed attempt at conquering Midgard, Loki is banished to Midgard in order to repair the damage he has caused and perhaps regain whatever is left of his sanity. Along with being banished, he has been reduced to a mortal-like form, with restrictions on his powers. Will he learn his lesson? And what happens when he meets a certain taser totting intern?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note:** I had this up on Ao3 originally, but I've decided to also put it up here. Hopefully you'll enjoy it! It's a slow build up, but should be sweet. Background relationships: Jane/Thor, Tony/Pepper, Clint/Pepper, Steve/OC, possibly.

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

 **Today this ends**

A blaze of ice blue energy ripped through the air and blasted a hole in the aircraft manned by Agent Romanov, Agent Barton and Steve Rogers, sending the flaming craft spiraling away. Loki quickly defended himself again as Thor lunged at him, their weapons clashing and Thor keeping him there.

"Look at this! Look around you! You think this madness will end with your rule?" Thor shouted.

"It is too late," Loki said, looking around, as if regretful. "It is too late to stop it."

"No, we can. Together," Thor said, hopefully. Thor saw what looked like an opening; he thought that maybe his brother was regretful of his actions and would join them to fight the Chitauri. He felt a pain in his abdomen as one of Loki's knives sliced through.

"Sentiment," Loki scoffed. "This is your weakness, Thor. You are so very easy to manipulate. That is why you will lose, and I will win." Loki stepped out of the way as Thor lunged at him with a growl. "You should have heard it. Your mortal woman…what was her name? Jane Foster? You know, your friends are not very good at hiding; so easy was it for me to find her. I told you, did I not? That I would visit her. Oh, yes, did I visit her. You have no idea the feeling, after I made sure her heart beat for the last time." An almighty roar of pain and horror erupted from the Thunder God as he lunged back at Loki, this time hitting him with Mjolnir, sending him crashing through the window. Thor picked up his brother by the neck, squeezing it tightly, anger and grief in his expression before it faltered and he dropped Loki. Loki escaped off the roof and onto a Chitauri cruiser.

* * *

Thor took hold of the Tesseract after Loki did and twisted it, taking them up in a familiar vortex and dropping them at the end of the Bifrost. He was met by the sight of Heimdall, diligently watching at his post. The gatekeeper did not turn, but he was by no means ignoring the Prince.

"Welcome back, your father awaits your return," Heimdall said. Thor nodded, having no words to say to the gatekeeper in his current situation, burdened with a tremendous amount of emotions. Love and concern for his brother, darkened and overshadowed by the feeling of disgust and horror at what he had done, along with betrayal. Thor felt a hand on his shoulder and looked back at Heimdall. "She lives." Thor's eyes widened as he knew who he meant without having to ask.

"Thank you, Heimdall," Thor said, his voice shaky. He pulled Loki along by the chains and walked silently along the rest of the Bifrost, then through the city where his fellow Asgardians praised his return, before looking on darkly at the fallen Prince in chains. Loki's eyes remained on the ground as he followed Thor through, unable to say anything back even if he wanted to. The doors to the palace opened and he was led through to the main hall where the thrones sat, the King and Queen already seated there, waiting. Sif and the Warriors Three stood off to the side, glaring at the form of Loki.

Loki was brought before Odin and Frigga, the former stern and the latter looking sad to see her youngest son like this. Loki had never been this bad before. Loki could see the disappointment and sadness in Frigga's eyes; the one who he once called mother, but now…he had no family. The anger was too deep in his veins; the betrayal, the favouritism, the overshadowing…everything. Loki turned his eyes to the ground once more, unable to face the emotion in Frigga's face. He was pushed to his knees by Thor and awaited his sentencing.

"You have returned…my son, you have disappointed us, your family, and Asgard," Odin stated. Loki glared a hole in the ground, but could not argue. "Your crimes are numerous: for sneaking Frost Giants into Asgard, the attempt on Thor's life and causing harm to the town he was banished to, for trying to destroy Jotunheim and its people, and lastly, for causing chaos and destruction to Midgard, where numerous lost their lives."

"For these acts, you will be punished," Odin said. "For your crimes, you will have placed upon you a seal, so that you cannot harm an innocent being, directly or indirectly, magically or physically. You will be reduced to a form similar to that of a mortal, so that you might learn how it is to be that which you wished to harm. Finally, you will be banished to Midgard, where you will be at the mercy of their Avengers. Thor will make sure that you will not be fatally wounded. There, you will aide the reconstruction and healing of their city."

Loki frowned at Odin; it was an awfully tame punishment. He had expected some form of torture, but then, maybe they knew it would not work; the look on Frigga's face told him that she had something to do with it as well. However, it would seem that he would not be allowed back to Asgard until he learnt something and there was no hope in all of Yggdrasil in fooling the old man by faking anything. He was shocked that his magic would stay, but then, he was grateful, even if it would be stifled somewhat. He watched as Odin pointed Gungnir at him and a light enveloped his wrists and neck. A muffled whimper came from him as the light seared runic marks into his wrists and throat. He felt himself become weak and started clutching at his throat.

Thor watched grimly as the punishment was put upon his brother. Even though what Loki had done was utterly despicable, he could never hate his brother. Despite Loki having told him he had killed Jane, Thor had been unable to kill him. Now he knew that Jane lived, it was pain off his chest. Thor only wished that they could rewind all of this; that they could go back to the friendly relationship they had before the coronation. That he had not made Loki feel inferior, even if it had not been intentional. No, if they could go back to that at all, it would take a long time. Thor only hoped that it was not impossible. He met Odin's eyes and he saw his father nod. Thor pulled Loki up off of the floor and Odin created a portal using the Tesseract, which Thor pulled Loki through.

Loki felt weaker and tighter being pulled through the portal in a weakened body. It felt almost as if time was going slower and that he would be driven mad by the transportation, or, rather, driven even _madder_ than he already was. Finding out that you were the monster you were brought up to hate after two millennia of believing you were one thing and suddenly you're not…it was enough to bring all of the resentment to the surface and bring with it a new anger and hatred, twisting your insides until you have no other choice, but to just _snap_. Hanging off the edge of the Bifrost, holding onto Gungnir as his only link between his so-called family and the abyss…he had chosen the abyss. No matter what he did, he would never be Thor's equal. Death seemed like the only option. Though death did not come. Only madness.

They landed on the bridge that they had left from, the sun now starting to set and the city eerily quiet. Smoke billowed from various buildings and the sounds of sirens littered the air. Loki had been down to Midgard enough to know what each of the emergency vehicles were like, give or take variations of the many different cultures of the realm. It really was a sight to behold; there was a clenching in his stomach and he felt a little sick as there was the faint scent of burning flesh in the air. Thor grabbed him roughly and Loki found himself flying through the air quickly. Flying was infinitely more comfortable when it wasn't being flown through the air by Thor. They landed on the balcony of Stark tower they had been fighting upon not a number of hours ago.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note:** I'm so sorry for the late update! I had meant to put this up not so long after the last chapter, but I got busy. Also, I'd like to mention that while I don't write explicit stuff, depending on what happens later, I may or may not bump the rating up. Just in case. Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

 **Devil on the doorstep**

After landing on the balcony of Stark tower, the evidence of their skirmish in plain sight, Thor led Loki into the battered lounge where he had found his brother, barely able to crawl away. No matter what Loki did, the sight of him in such a battered state brought pain to his heart. Thor knew and understood that he should feel only revulsion and horror at the devastation his brother had done to Midgard; all of those lives lost, all the pain wrought, families broken and yet, the love he held for his brother felt like a candlelight that could not be snuffed out. Maybe it was different for Loki; he did not seem to want anything to do with him or their parents, which saddened him greatly, but his own feelings could not be quashed.

Only the somewhat distant sounds of the broken city outside could be heard now, neither brother making a sound; Loki couldn't even if he had wanted to, for neither Odin nor Thor had thought to remove the muzzle. Thor would leave that up to S.H.I.E.L.D. for now. Emergency sirens, the odd crash of the aftermath that still raged across the city as structures fell from the lack of support, yelling and crying. All rather clear to the two with Godly hearing. One desperate to assist, one desperate to escape from it. Neither one moved.

The sound of the elevator rang through the air followed by footfalls and clinking of weaponry as Nick Fury, Maria Hill, Agents Romanov and Barton, along with some other agents came towards them, unamused and very serious.

"I thought you were taking _him_ back to Asgard," Fury said, by way of greeting.

"Director Fury, please give me the chance to explain. I realise it is rather large a request that I seek to put upon you, but our father wishes for Loki to serve out his punishment here on Midgard, much like I had a year ago. He has been reduced to a mortal body and his powers limited that he cannot harm an innocent being, either physically, magically, directly or indirectly. I assure you that he therefore cannot harm anymore of your people," Thor explained. Fury raised an eyebrow.

"Really? This is the almighty God of Magic and Chaos here we are talking about. How can we know for sure that he is safe?" Fury asked.

"You have my word. I saw it for myself and our father is a powerful man, if you have any faith in me at all you will believe what I say is true," Thor said. "He is to serve his punishment at your order, although I would prefer it if you lay no physical harm upon him; there are better ways to seek justice than that of torture. He will, however, assist in the rebuilding of your city and in any other way possible, lest he have to remain here forever." Loki was currently glaring at the large dent in the floor where the beast had smashed him.

"So you're telling us that your father expects us to have him here indefinitely?" Natasha asked, unimpressed.

"He is but a mere mortal with harmless magical powers now," Thor repeated, but there was a gravity to his emphasis that silenced the agents for a moment, and Thor's expression could not hide the pain behind his eyes. If his brother never redeemed himself, then Thor would lose him to old age. It pained him more than he could speak through words. He knew their mother and father would mourn his passing if it came to that, but Loki needed to be punished.

"Alright, well, it's not like we can do much else at this point. Luckily for us, Stark Tower doesn't need too much in the way of reparation, although we do not have a cell for him. We are in the midst of drawing up plans to make part of Stark Tower into our new headquarters," Fury said.

"You need not place Loki in a cell, he is harmless and will not attempt an escape," Thor spoke. Natasha raised an eyebrow.

"How do you know that?" She asked. Thor turned to Loki; in all honesty, he could not guarantee that as much as he could the harmless part. Green eyes met his blue ones and Thor gave him a look that clearly questioned the God of Mischief whether he would try to run. Loki shook his head, his eyes hollow. Thor turned back and nodded.

"Even if he _does_ attempt, I will find him. Please, do not worry, my friends," Thor said.

"Very well, but you need to talk to Stark first," Fury said.

"Where might I find him?" Thor asked.

"Sir, Mr. Stark will be joining you in a few minutes, I have let him know that you are here," Jarvis answered. Thor looked around, unsure of where the voice was coming from.

"That is Stark's computer, Jarvis. It is connected to the whole building and into his Iron Man suit. He will assist you if you ask," Fury said.

Thor nodded and before he could say anything, the sound of something landing outside drew his attention to the windows. Tony in his Iron Man suit was walking towards the door, his suit being taken off of him as he did so before entering and stepping closer to the two Gods, an eyebrow raised.

"So even the heavens spat Rock of Ages out? Too bad. What brings you here?" Tony asked. Thor explained the situation and Tony looked to the God in question, who was still in the muzzle and cuffs they had kindly supplied for him. Loki had his back to Tony, and turned away from the agents. "Okay, okay, I guess I can let you stay. Just, no more tantrums, okay, Jailbreak? When we have problems, we don't go to someone else's backyard and break things. You go to your mom and dad's room and break _their_ things instead."

"Thank you, Tony, you have my gratitude," Thor said.

"Yeah, yeah, but you guys owe me, hm?" Tony said.

"Of course," Thor said, humbly.

"Alright! I'll show you two to a room each. All of my rooms are state of the art, so this lucky bastard will be one luxurious prisoner. It's more than you deserve, so be grateful," Tony said, leading them into the elevator. "Are we keeping these chains and muzzle? I mean, don't get me wrong, it's a great look, if you're into that shit, but it's not very practical." The elevator started downwards and Tony started working the muzzle off.

"Sir-," Jarvis started.

"Not now, Jarvis," Tony said, brow furrowed in concentration. He finally got the thing off and put it to the floor before unlocking the cuffs. "Don't make me regret this, Rocky." Loki ignored him, just standing there as if nothing had changed. The elevator stopped and Tony frowned at the number on the screen. "Ground floor? Why are we-?" The doors opened and showed Pepper standing there, looking furious. "Oh, shit."

Pepper stopped the door before Tony could jab at the close buttons effectively. " _Tony_ ," Pepper said. She reached him and fought with herself before throwing her arms around him. "I saw the news and I saw what you did with that missile! How could you be so _reckless_?! You stupid, stupid—" Pepper was in tears by now and Tony placed his hands on her back, patting awkwardly.

"Hey, hey…relax. You know me, never a dull moment. Besides, I probably would have died anyway if I _hadn't_ done that, so cheer up, eh?" Tony said, lightly. Pepper fixed him with a glare. "Okay, bad choice of words. But it's over now and you can't take me down that easily, so how about we just focus on fixing up New York?" Pepper sniffed and nodded, looking back up at him, before noticing who else was in the elevator. Her eyes widened.

"Isn't that—" Pepper started.

"Don't worry, he's like a little bunny right now, harmless. His pops obviously has this impression that Earth is their prison. Quite insulting, really. Anyway, I was just showing them to their rooms before you overrode the command," Tony said, pushing the button and sending the elevator back up. It felt like a heck of a long time being in that elevator with the guy who flattened Manhatten and his brother. He could not have been happier to hear the ding, leading Pepper and the brothers onto the floor. Walking in silence, Tony stopped at two doors, one opposite the other.

"Okay, so, it works like a mini-apartment. You kids play nice, you hear? There's a lounge and communal kitchen up there, and a few of the others will be on this floor as well…Birdseye really wants to put an arrow into your eye socket, so don't give him a reason," Tony said, winking, before leaving with Pepper.

Loki remained silent and merely opened the door to his right, closing it behind him. He leant against the door, taking in the room. Not as big as his own room back on Asgard, or rather, his _former_ room, but bigger than some of the Midgardian rooms he had seen before. Although, this was like one of those apartment abodes he had heard of. A miniature home. A lounging area, a kitchen, a door off to the side and a door just ahead. Bedroom and bathroom. Loki just stared around, leaning against the door, for some time. So this was where he was to live for the unforeseeable future…He was mortal now. If he did not 'see the error of his ways', he would die of old age. How glorious. Was that really the best Odin could do? If he died, it would hurt them more than he. Had he not wanted death the moment he let go of Gungnir? Let go of all fears and embrace the darkness of death, which did not come, but in this situation…it would come.

And he would be free.

But was that what he truly wanted? Perhaps if he was feeling truly vindictive and vengeful, then yes, maybe he would just let time take him. The hatred and anger was so set within him, that Loki did not know whether he could ever feel happiness again. Simple tricks would not amuse him, most people would never trust him again nor like him, his heritage alone made him miserable…Loki would merely see what life brought. Perhaps he would find new reasons, perhaps he would be able to become immortal again, or perhaps there was no hope for him. Loki straightened up and walked slowly through his new accommodations…as much as he hated to admit it, they were far better than what he had previously. His last good accommodations had been his former room on Asgard. He opened the door to his bedroom and looked around, taking in the large bed and the soft, neutral colours. He spotted an armchair and sat down within it, looking around thoughtfully. The bed slowly became that of green with one thick gold strip silk covers and pillows, while the sheets became black. The walls took on a nice shade of light gold. He sat there for a moment in silence before conjuring a book to read.

Thor looked around his room and sat down. But he soon stood up, unable to sit still and left his room, staring at Loki's door for a moment before walking down the corridor. In all honesty, the building was strange to him and he was unsure where to go, with all of its many rooms and floors. He remembered the computer, Jarvis, or something. He looked at a strange contraption on the wall next to the box they had arrived in. "I wish to speak with the one called Jarvis?" Thor asked, uncertainty in his voice.

"Yes, Mr. Thor?" Jarvis asked.

"Ah yes, I would like to know who I can speak to in regards to Jane Foster," Thor said.

"Of course, I believe Erik Selvig will be living on this very floor, in the corridor to your right. He is in room 14C," Jarvis answered.

"Thank you, Jarvis," Thor said, finding it rather strange to talk to a speaking inanimate object.

"You're most welcome," Jarvis said. Thor walked off down the corridor, searching through the numbers until he found 14C. He knocked, remembering to be careful with the fragile door. It opened to a tired looking Erik. The man perked up immediately.

"Thor! It's good to see you, it's been a long time," Erik said, with some disappointment in his tone.

"Yes, my apologies, my fight with my brother ended in the necessity of destroying the Bifrost, that another realm not be destroyed. I could not return until recently, when it was absolutely necessary," Thor said.

"I fear that won't matter to Jane," Erik teased.

"That is one reason I have come; I wish to know where she is. My brother had led me to believe her dead, but Heimdall spoke of her living," Thor said.

"She is safe, and I believe they are bringing her back. She should be back in a day or two," Erik said. Thor beamed widely.

"Thank you, Erik Selvig," Thor said.

"Would you like to come in? I think I have some good ale for you to try," Erik said.

"Of course!" Thor said, laughing.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note:** Again, sorry for the late update, but you're gonna get two chapters so hopefully that'll be worth the wait!

Thank you to **Armand** for your review, hopefully this update is good too. 3 Thank you to **Silmaril666** for your review too, you'll see how Loki reacts in the fourth chapter which I'm also uploading with this. =3

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

 **What took so long?**

" _So_ glad to be back in the States. I mean, sure, Tromso was…no, screw it, it was so boring and stupid S.H.I.E.L.D. still have my iPod, there was _nothing_ good about that place. We couldn't even go outside," the voice of Darcy spoke to Jane's exasperation and Erik's bemusement. Erik had gone with the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to pick them up from the jet they had been brought over in. Darcy got into the back of the black vehicle with Jane, looking around at the snazzy interior. Darcy had finished college with a 4.0 GPA, but had decided to return to Jane's side while she searched for job opportunities; she had enough funds to cover herself, though with Jane working for S.H.I.E.L.D. now, there was a chance she could get paid, which Darcy wasn't going to complain about. "What? I don't like being stuck in a place where I can't at least stretch my legs; I don't want to be suffocated. Of course, since you barely leave the lab to eat, it's different for you." She saw Jane look at her sheepishly.

"It could not be avoided, Darcy; I'm sure you've heard of what happened to New York?" Erik asked.

"The guy with the horns? Yep, hard to avoid seeing _that_ on the news," Darcy answered. "He got his ass kicked by Iron Man and the others, right? Is Thor still around…?" Darcy asked as casually as possible, but she knew her friend was anxious for the answer to that very question.

"Yes, he's at Stark Tower, where we're headed. Don't worry, Jane. You'll see him soon enough," Erik said, chuckling knowingly. Darcy watched as Jane's features lit up. It was about time. It was going to be the reunion of the century. She wanted to be there so that she could tease them later. Maybe post it on Facebook before they shut her account down for it.

So the ride was fairly long and the anticipation high; Darcy couldn't wait to get a chance to meet Tony Stark and see all of the technology he had going there, and Jane was cruisin' for some lovin', which Darcy didn't neglect to say to Jane just to see her blush and tell her to stop. She was _so_ going to have to get the dirt out of Jane one way or another once the two got down and dirty. After all, what fun was there having girlfriends if you're not going to share the goss? None, nada, nope. She would get it out of her at some point.

The long journey finally started coming to its end as they arrived in the Manhatten area, in which Darcy's face was pulled to the window as she observed the sheer reality that was the damage to the city. She had known about it, and seen the odd picture, but pictures did it no justice. It was a wreck; it was like someone had come here and used it as their own personal wrecking ground, which she supposed was kind of true. There was silence in the car as they drove, where before there was light chatter. It had to be one of the worst disasters, or at least man-made (could you call it that? Maybe it was better to say 'that was not a natural disaster', though that was wordy) disasters, the world had ever seen. Thank God they had people to protect them; she wasn't sure this was what ordinary soldiers could fight off. Big metal things…it reminded her of the Destroyer that was sent down to New Mexico the year before, and even the Asgardians had trouble fighting it. It was definitely a good thing that Thor got his mojo back at that point. She didn't think the two of them would be here if he hadn't.

Darcy looked over at Jane and she knew that all thoughts of Thor were out of her mind as she observed the damage that had been wrought upon the city. It was extremely difficult to think of happy things whilst looking at this, trying to ignore the thoughts of how many must have died; they hadn't heard much from the aftermath, just that it was over and the 'Avengers' featuring the Norse God Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, S.H.I.E.L.D. agents Hawkeye and Black Widow and Dr. Banner had saved the day. Boy, were those guys going to become the nation's beloved or what? At least, she thought they would, or should. Darcy didn't realise they had reached Stark Tower until the car stopped and the door opened for them. Darcy got out, followed by Jane, and they were led inside. It seemed a little worse for wear on the outside, but the interior was relatively normal. Or, what she supposed was normal.

A blonde woman came out of the elevator just then and walked up to them. "Hi, you must be Jane and Darcy, right? I'm Pepper Potts, Tony Stark's personal secretary. It's really nice to meet you," Pepper said with a smile, holding out her hand. Jane shook her hand first before Darcy did too. "Tony and Thor are both upstairs, if you'd like to follow me?" The girls nodded and followed Pepper into the elevator with Erik. The ride to the top was silent, but not uncomfortable. Finally, the door binged and opened, and Pepper led them into what must have been the lounging area, with a bar to the right and a bit of a wreck somewhere to the left. Darcy wasn't quite sure what to make of it. A bit further left was an area with seats, where two men were sat. Both stood up and came over to the girls and Erik. "Hey, welcome to my tower, I'm Tony Stark, though you probably already know that," Tony said.

"Nice to meet you," Darcy said. "I'm Darcy."

"Pleasure," Tony said. He noticed her gaze. "Oh, that? That's where the Hulk smashed Thor's little brother into the floor a few times, kinda like Bam-Bam from the Flintstones. I tell you, the footage is frikkin' hilarious. It's already gone viral and it's a huge hit. I'm also thinking of just leaving this wreckage here, you know, as a wonderful reminder. If it were more in the middle, I'd position the chairs around it." Darcy couldn't help but laugh. She was certain they would get on. Darcy looked over at Thor and Jane, who were hugging and, yeah, Darcy was smirking at them.

"I do hope you'll get a room; I'm not sure I'm comfortable with watching anything that's usually kept in the bedroom," Darcy said, which instantly grabbed their attention. Jane pulled away from Thor, flustered and Thor looked a little sheepish. Darcy gave a single wave. "Hi, I'm that other friend you made a year back? Except the one you didn't start sucking the face off before leaving. It's ok, though. You're not my type anyway."

Thor came forward and beamed at Darcy. "Lady Darcy, it is wonderful to see you again. Fear not, I had not forgotten you," Thor said. Darcy giggled a little and patted his arm a couple of times.

"Relax, big guy. I'm just teasing you," Darcy said. Thor looked a little relieved at that. "So, do we get a room or are we to choose a chair out here?" Tony chuckled and gestured for them to follow.

"Right this way," Tony said. Darcy followed Tony back into the elevator and to the same floor he took the Godly brothers, showing them down the corridor and stopping in front of Thor's door. "Thor's room; I don't know whether you want your own room or to share his, Jane…" Tony winked at the now blushing Jane. "Hey, take the room next to his if you want." Darcy rolled her eyes and took one next to Loki's room. Not that she knew he was here, of course.

"I'll leave you guys to debate it; I really need a shower," Darcy said, before closing the door. Darcy turned to look at the room and it was pretty damn good, though she'd expect nothing less from Tony Stark. A kitchen area, a lounge area, a dining area…and separate doors to what she assumed would be the bedroom and bathroom. She walked further in and saw the television, which immediately made her eyes grow wide. "Holy shit." It was huge and top-of-the-range. After being stuck in Tromso for such a time, this sure as hell made up for it.

But first of all, she needed that shower.

* * *

Jane closed the door behind them and smiled sheepishly at Thor.

"Sorry, I hope you don't mind, but I'm not the kind of girl to rush into things so quickly and then there's—" Jane started, before Thor held a hand up to stop her.

"Relax, I do not expect anything Jane, I only hope that your feelings remain strong like mine have," Thor said with a smile. Jane had opted for her own room while they got reacquainted and, anyway, she wasn't one to quickly move in with the boyfriend. If that's what they were. That was another question on her mind. "While my feelings for you have come on quickly in such a short space of time, they are by no means no less genuine, and I wish to take the time to get to know you."

Jane smiled in relief to that and nodded her head. "My feelings are mutual; I just want to know, are we, you know, together, like a couple?" Jane asked, with a laugh as it sounded so silly saying it out loud. Thor laughed along with her and took her hand in his.

"I am much relieved to hear that, Jane, and would like to ask if I could court you? Or I suppose by Midgardian terms, date you?" Thor asked, kissing her hand which made her feel that familiar giddy feeling, wanting to giggle like a teenager.

"Of course," Jane said, looking happier than she'd been in a long while, before she threw her arms around him and he wrapped his arms around her. After the year he'd had believing his brother dead and then having to fight Loki once again, he was relieved to have such a welcome after his long absence away from Jane. Thinking of Loki, he sighed and pulled back.

"There is something else I must tell you, but I promise you that you and everyone here are safe," Thor said. Jane looked at him seriously, her expression waiting. "My father has decreed that my brother be banished here, his powers limited and his body turned mortal. The Man of Iron has allowed his accommodation in his home and for that, I am grateful. I do hope, however, that he can learn from his mistakes and become a better person. I think the company of everyone here might help, as yourself, Lady Darcy and Erik did so for me."

Jane's expression became shocked and Thor immediately worried there would be a problem, but before he could say anymore, Jane became pensive before speaking.

"If he's powerless, although…what about physical attacks?" Jane asked.

"He is unable to cause direct or indirect harm, physically or magically, to anyone, save maybe those of evil intent. Worry not, my Jane, he will not harm you or anyone here," Thor said, holding her face. They smiled at each other, worries drifting away as they enjoyed each other's company.

* * *

 **Author's note:** I forgot to mention, I'm using lyrics for chapter titles, feel free to try and guess where they're from. ;)


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

 **Contempt loves the silence**

Darcy stepped out of the bathroom freshly cleaned and ready to carry on her day, most likely being lazy and watching some television; she wasn't going to be working anytime soon and the clean up wasn't going on today as far as she could tell. So, day off! Hair dry, snacks found and remote in hand, she dropped herself down onto the sofa and pressed the power button, watching as the lights turned on and…static. Darcy pressed another button, but there was more static. She must have pressed them all before chucking it to the other side of the sofa in a huff and slumping back in the sofa.

"So much for top-of-the-range…" Darcy said, although she wondered whether it had anything to do with the attack. She stood up after a moment and walked to the door, opening it and thinking for a moment, before shrugging to herself and making her way into the room to her left, shutting the door and sitting down in the sofa there, clutching her snacks to herself as she picked up the remote and tried this TV instead. To her relief, it turned on and she commenced in watching the Big Bang Theory. She loved the show a lot and had missed it very much while she was in Tromso. Seriously, how she had survived without a TV was beyond her. Or at least internet, but they didn't even have that.

About ten minutes later, Darcy didn't realise she was no longer alone in the room until she heard the voice speak.

"What are you doing in my room?"

Darcy jumped in her seat at the sudden speech and stood up, turning around to find a tall, dark-haired man stood there looking none too happy. She couldn't help but think that he seemed familiar; green eyes, odd clothes, and he looked a little worse for wear. _Oh holy mother of-_

"What the hell are _you_ doing here?!" Darcy exclaimed, her hand slowly going into her pocket and wrapping around the familiar comfort of her taser, even though technically she wasn't allowed a taser in New York, but she had only just arrived here. She would definitely have to talk to S.H.I.E.L.D. about special permission or whatever. However, the current issue was why the alien terrorist was in this room, and what did he mean by _his_ room. Surely he couldn't be serious? She swallowed a little as the alien—Loki—made a few steps towards her.

"I am staying within these quarters. You, however, are uninvited," Loki said. Oh, he was a little too close and, well, the next thing she knew, Loki was shaking after she had brought out her taser and pressed the trigger. He dropped like a sack of potatoes.

Darcy stood there, staring at the fallen Norse God as he lay unconscious on his back, wondering what the hell she should do now. If she stayed long enough for him to awaken, she was going to be in a lot of trouble and she didn't really fancy dying on her first day back to the States. So she ran out and knocked on Thor's door erratically. "Thor! Open up!" Darcy called out. She heard some footsteps and the door opened to show Thor, looking concerned.

"Lady Darcy, what is wrong?" He asked.

"The guy who flattened New York's in the room opposite; I was using the TV, as mine was broken, and he suddenly was there, claiming that I was in his room," Darcy said. A look of realisation spread across Thor's face and he left the room, shutting it surprisingly carefully for a man with his muscles.

"Ah, Lady Darcy, I had not had the chance to inform you that he, my brother, is here on punishment for his crimes. He will not, however, hurt you, for his powers have been restricted," Thor said. Darcy blinked at him; so Earth was Asgard's naughty corner now? What kind of bullshit was this? If she ever met this Odin, she'd tell him where to shove it.

"I see. Well, your brother's not going to be particularly happy with me; I just tased his ass," Darcy said with a shrug. Thor blinked before laughing.

"You are quite something, Lady Darcy. My brother will not be happy, no," Thor said, crossing over into his brother's room and seeing the damage himself. He was thankful that his powers and physical abilities would not allow him to harm his friend; he could not trust his brother right now. Thor bent down and lifted Loki into his arms, before carrying him to his bed, lying him down on the sheets. "He will awaken in time." Darcy looked around the room, though it was pretty much the same as her own. The whole apartment was the same, save for the fact it was just the opposite way around. A few minutes later, both of them turned their attention to the unconscious God as he let out a groan.

* * *

Loki had been exploring the tower, invisible of course, for the lack of anything better to do. He thought it best to know the layout of the place he would be trapped for the unforeseeable future. Loki knew that his punishment upon Midgard would be far longer than that of Thor's; even if their crimes had been the same, Thor would always win out in the end. He kept the bitter feelings buried deep within him, not wishing to give Odin any reason to make his punishment worse. After all, even if he would likely die a mortal before he managed to regain the trust of all those who supposedly loved him, he still had his magic. Restricted, yes. He was unable to silence that insufferable man Stark, even though he seemed to aggravate each of his team members.

As soon as he returned to his abode, however, he found a mortal female sitting in front of the strange box he had yet to find out about. Now, it had moving pictures upon its surface. However, soon he felt a great jolt of pain run through him after speaking with the mortal and everything went black. When he felt consciousness stirring within him again, he groaned and blinked his eyes open. In his line of sight he could see Thor sat on the side of his bed and the mortal stood a little behind him. Loki's eyes didn't stay on the mortal long before turning back to the form of Thor, who appeared to be hiding his humour poorly. Loki scowled at him; if he was here to mock him, then he could leave. Or rather, he could leave regardless.

"Leave me, Thor," Loki growled.

"Good day to you too, brother," Thor said. Loki glared at his incorrect usage of the word brother. "I see you have met my friend Darcy Lewis."

"Is that her name? I care not, Thor. Now if you have nothing useful to say, leave," Loki said, turning on his side away from Thor, ignoring the pain it brought him.

He felt the pressure on the bed leave, much to his relief. "Very well, brother, but do not think that I have given up on you yet. While I have not forgiven you yet, my love for you never wanes," Thor said. Loki scowled.

"You are an idiot," Loki said.

"Call me what you like, I—," Thor started. Loki turned and sat up painfully at the same time, unconsciously sending a wave of green light towards him that caused the mortal girl to shriek and the magic just fizzled before it hit Thor. Loki growled and Thor shook his head, leading the mortal out of the room and shutting the door. Loki looked at his hands with a frown; that magic would not have hurt the oaf, merely sent him backwards, but…ahh, the mortal. Perhaps it would have hurt the mortal girl. This was the third time he had seen that girl and once again he could not fathom what Thor saw in the little scientist mortal, since Darcy Lewis was clearly the more attractive one. Not that he cared either way; if he had a choice, he would take himself far away from those he knew and…well, he was not sure what he would do after that, but it was a start.

Loki could hear some sound still within his outer chambers and stood up, walking over to the door and opening it. He was relieved to see that neither Thor nor his friend was in here; the box had just been left on. He turned it off with his magic and returned to his room. Loki shut the door with a quiet click and stared around the room. He was tired, but he didn't want to sleep.

He had more to fear from dreams than reality.

* * *

Darcy sat down on Thor's sofa and rested her head against the back.

"Darce, do you want a drink?" Jane asked.

"Pile up the vodka," Darcy said dryly, but chuckled when she saw Jane's expression. "Fine, fine. Hot chocolate." She watched as Jane got to it and Thor sat on the armchair near the two seater she'd sat on. He looked apologetic.

"Lady Darcy, I apologise for my brother, his spell aimed for me must have stopped for risk of hurting you," Thor said.

"It looked like a flippin' avada kadavra curse! What does it even _do_?" Darcy asked.

"It just pushes me backwards. Loki started using it when he couldn't physically push me back and I, er, annoyed him," Thor said, his eyes full of reminiscence. Even though his brother was a psycho, she couldn't help but feel sorry for the big guy. The guy had a lot of love and she found that she was even happier for Jane. Though she couldn't really say for certain right now, he seemed to truly love Jane. Hopefully he wouldn't hurt her, because she would find a way to taze his ass and have it hurt him even in all his Godly glory.

"Do you think this whole redemption thing will happen? Can someone who caused that much shit really change?" Darcy asked, gratefully taking the mug of hot chocolate from Jane and watched as Jane sat next to her. She could tell she had asked a difficult question of Thor; painful, even, but she was curious. Darcy knew his crimes when he had been banished were bad, but as far as she could tell, Loki's actions were far worse.

"My brother never used to be this way; he was thoughtful, wise, kind…perhaps hiding his animosity for my callousness towards him and arrogance, however…we are brothers. We had each other's backs and no matter the strife, we loved one another…our blood does not change that, but…he does not seem to think the same," Thor said in a low voice and Darcy heard the pain there. Darcy felt a great amount of compassion for him and she reached forward to place her hand on his.

"Then keep showing him this; don't give up on him and be persistent, no matter how many times he might reject you," Darcy said. "Because when he does come around, he'll need you." Perhaps she was using a far too optimistic preposition there, but why not? The big guy needed the comfort and the reassurance. Thor looked at her and gave her a sad, but grateful smile.

"Thank you, Lady Darcy. Your words mean a lot to me," Thor said. Darcy smiled bashfully and looked at Jane, whose eyes would not leave Thor, filled with sorrow, wariness, love and worry for Thor. Darcy knew she was an oddity and would have a higher chance of accepting Loki than Jane, because Darcy was just…Darcy. If he tried anything on her, she would tase him. Simple as. Considering he couldn't actually hurt her, that was pretty extreme.

Darcy finished her hot chocolate and stood up. "I think I'm going to head back to my room, leave you two to talk. We still have some time before we have to go back to work, and you're starting the rebuild tomorrow, right? So you're going to want to have some Thor and Janey time, so I'll leave you to it," Darcy said.

"Are you sure?" Jane asked. "You could stay…"

"Naw, c'mon, you haven't seen each other in a year or whatever, so I'm happy to let you two reacquaint yourselves…though, do so quietly. I _am_ only across the way. And Loki's insane enough without adding to it," Darcy said, winking playfully before giving Jane a hug. "Laters." Darcy returned to her room, realising she would need to get a lot of stuff shipped up here.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's note:** Sorry for the late update! Thanks for all comments, etc. They make me happy. 3

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

 **Let the light in**

The next day found Darcy without a TV again and she walked out of her little apartment, turning right to see whether the door would open. Nope. She looked back towards Loki's door before walking to the end of the corridor, looking at the little Jarvis box.

"Jarvis, is Tony around?" Darcy asked.

"I'm afraid Tony is out right now. If you would like me to notify you of his return, I can do that, Miss. Lewis," Jarvis said.

"Nah it's okay," Darcy said, waving her hand at the AI before walking back towards her room, staring at Loki's door before shrugging and trying the door handle. It worked, and she stepped inside, going straight to the spot she had occupied the day before, switching on the TV to a low level so that she would not disturb the cranky God and started watching. An early showing of the Time Traveller's wife…oh God, she was going to be bawling by the end of it and she was in Loki's apartment. Screw it, she'd come this far.

"…You are back," a familiar voice spoke from behind her and she jumped in surprise, but otherwise didn't turn around.

"Yep, my TV's still broken," Darcy replied simply. He moved into her line of vision, coming slowly around the couch. He didn't look too happy.

"Why not go elsewhere?" Loki asked.

"Locked or…would _you_ want to attempt Jane or Thor's room? I don't really want to risk seeing or hearing anything I don't want to hear," Darcy said.

"I care not for your plight; you should leave," Loki said.

"But I'm already ten minutes into the movie! I'd miss some," Darcy said, as if it was already decided. Then the asshole stepped in front of the TV and she scooched over from side to side to try and see past him before glaring angrily at him. "C'mon!"

"I am not moving," Loki said. Darcy made herself more comfortable.

"Me neither," Darcy said. They stared at each other for sometime and Darcy couldn't help but notice that although he still looked like shit, with the slight evidence of dark rings underneath his eyes and a few lingering cuts and bruises, he had handsome features. It made her want to know what he looked like without the defeated villain look. That and his hair could do with something. An idea suddenly came to her. She huffed. "If you're not going to move, at least come and join me? It's a good film, sad though." The God merely narrowed his eyes. Darcy decided to be brave (or stupid, but he was powerless, right?) and stood up, walking up to him and ignoring his inquisitive expression in favour of quickly pushing him towards the couch. He stumbled a little towards it before straightening up and glaring at her. At least she managed to budge him a _little_. He might not be muscles like Thor, but he sure didn't look easy to move. She must have taken him by surprise. Score one to Darcy.

"Come on, just sit down. I'll leave when this ends, so you might as well _sit_ ," Darcy said. She had no idea what was running through her head, being so blasé with him. This guy blew up half of Manhatten and tried to kill Thor.

The guy just wouldn't budge so she managed to push him the rest of the way, landing unceremoniously onto the couch, glaring at her with those vivid emerald green eyes. Who was he, Harry Potter? Darcy smiled and sat down next to him, picking up the remote and rewinding the TV so that he could watch it from the start too. "Good, now stick around and watch this film with me, okay? You might find you like it. You seem like the kind of guy who likes a confusing and complicated plot," Darcy said. "At least, it's somewhat complicated. Just…a strange relationship. Eh, just watch it." Darcy had the feeling he was glaring at her for a little while, but he eventually started watching the TV and it fell silent between them for a while.

"So, have you watched a movie before?" Darcy asked, taking her eyes off of the screen for a moment to look at him. She saw him move his eyes to hers as he answered.

"No, I have not. Your…TV…is a mystery to me," Loki replied reluctantly. Darcy chuckled.

"It shows all kinds of things. These movies are like visual books, like a play…do you have plays? Operas? Musicals?" Darcy asked.

"We have some theatre, mostly from Vanaheim, as well as opera. However, I have seen numerous Midgardian pieces as well," Loki said. Darcy paused the movie, so glad for these rewind channels, and stood up.

"So you don't _completely_ hate us, then?" Darcy grinned. "I'm going to get a drink and some snacks…hope you don't mind me raiding your kitchen. D'you want anything? A drink?"

"You are awfully bold for an average Midgardian," Loki said.

"And you're mighty boring for a God of Mischief, buuuuuuut you don't see me complaining," Darcy said, nonchalantly. She knew she'd regret her words if he were to take her up on what could be perceived as a challenge.

"I think my last piece of mischief is still being dealt with," Loki said dryly.

"That's not mischief; that's chaos. There's a difference. Mischief is planting whoopee cushions in people's chairs, rigging showers, changing ringtones, drawing moustaches on people while they sleep. Trying to bend people to your will and having an army trash the city is so _not_ mischief," Darcy said, neither telling him off nor so nonchalant as before. Loki raised an eyebrow at her and she closed the fridge door, leaning against it holding two bottles of juice for a moment as the two just stared at each other. Blink. Damn, well, she knew she wouldn't win a staring competition with a Norse God (what hope did she really have to begin with? She could dream). Darcy finally placed both bottles in one arm before grabbing a bag of Doritos and walking back over to the couch. She sat down and gave Loki one of the bottles, opening the Doritos before placing it between them.

Darcy noticed the way that he just stared at the cheesy snacks. "They're tasty, try one," Darcy said. Loki looked down at the bag and reached into it, trying one. Darcy watched his expression, but the asshole was Fort Knox. "Well?"

"It is…acceptable," Loki responded. Darcy couldn't stop herself from whacking him on the arm.

"Dude they're way better than acceptable, you're just too proud to admit it," Darcy said, unfazed by the way he just stared at her.

"You have some nerve hitting me, mortal," Loki said, giving her an intense look. Darcy shrugged and settled into a more comfortable position on the couch, unpausing the TV.

"Considering I know that tasers work on you, I'm not really scared of you," Darcy said simply.

That shut him up.

* * *

Of course, the next day the door was locked.

Darcy huffed as she stood outside the door, unable to turn the handle. She looked around for the little box on the wall that had Jarvis in it and walked towards it.

"Jarvis, are you able to open doors?" Darcy asked.

"I can override the lock mechanism, yes, although I am not authorised to do so," Jarvis responded.

"Understandable…though can you open Loki's door? Surely his privacy is limited? Or, you know, something. Damn, that sounded so wrong," Darcy muttered. She was just curious, though. She hadn't bothered to go down to Tony about it because she knew he was busy with a lot of things. And Loki's company was…interesting, to put it one way. Darcy wasn't really sure why she wanted to bug him again; the fact that he was the only one available to speak to that wasn't busy with the city or kissing their boyfriend could not possibly be it.

"I'm afraid his door is locked with what must be magic, Miss. Lewis. I cannot override his door," Jarvis said.

"Damn, figures. Thanks anyway," Darcy said.

"You are most welcome," Jarvis said. Darcy walked back down the corridor and re-entered her apartment. Walking further in, she noticed something that hadn't really registered much in her mind.

A random cupboard, one for coats and such. She knew that on the other side of the wall, where Loki's room lay, was the very same cupboard. The cogs turned in her head and she had a rather crazy idea. She just needed to find the little gadget that would do the trick for her. It must have taken her ten minutes to locate the little laser cutter. She assumed it was for emergencies. This was an emergency; she had no TV. Okay, so it wasn't for that reason. She was just bored and the idea of bugging the God of Mischief was oddly tempting, even if she did run the risk of him deciding to get some sort of revenge on her. Thankfully he couldn't hurt her. So she cut a hole through the back of the cupboard, then through the wall and finally the back of his cupboard, carefully taking the bits out each time to clear the space. Finally, she had a way in. She might not be a scientist, but she was resourceful in her own way.

Darcy closed her cupboard doors behind her before stepping through the hole and opening Loki's cupboard door, peeking out and seeing no one in the living area, even after poking her head out some more. She closed the door quietly and made her way over to the sofa, sitting down and turning the TV on. Hogod, Marley and Me. Was this channel the torture of tears channel?! She paused the TV, stood up and turned to walk into the kitchen before nearly jumping out of her skin at the sight of Loki just in front of her.

"How did you get in this time? I have sealed the door with magic," Loki asked, in a calm and yet slightly irritable voice.

"Magic," Darcy quipped, before walking past him and grabbing some things from his kitchen. This guy really knew how to sneak up on people. Darcy ignored his scowl as she returned to the sofa. "C'mon, I'm watching another movie. Maybe you'll even cry at this one." She doubted it, but she could never resist a remark like that. She unpaused the TV and it didn't take long until she felt the presence of her grumpy acquaintance sit down next to her. Somehow Loki seemed like he would be more of a cat person while Thor would be a dog person. Not that she knew the crazy one beside her that much, other than very brief exchanges, but those were her impressions. They watched the movie in silence until it was nearing the end and Darcy found herself blubbering like a baby. Sure, the Time Traveller's wife was sad, but it didn't reduce her to tears as this movie always did.

"Damn, I should have brought some tissues," Darcy said, unabashed. She didn't care if Loki thought she was pathetic. However, she was quite surprised when she saw a box of tissues from the corner of her eye and she looked over to see Loki was holding it out to her with an unreadable expression. Of course _he_ hadn't been reduced to tears at all. She took them gratefully, cleaning up her face and chuckling a little as she shut the TV off. "So, come on, what did you think?"

"It was…not bad. It was better than the last one," Loki admitted, seeming reluctant.

"Really? I would have pegged you for a lover of confusing plotlines," Darcy said.

"Yes, however, it was a doomed relationship and that was obvious from somewhere in the middle. Not knowing the outcome is far more exciting," Loki responded. Darcy raised her eyebrows at that before grinning.

"You're secretly a hopeless romantic, aren't you?" Darcy teased. Loki shook his head.

"Hardly; I have no faith in love and relationships. It is merely boring to be told the end before you have seen the middle," Loki said, standing up before she could respond. "If you please, Miss. Lewis, I would like to ask you to leave."

"So you can cry without anyone knowing, huh?" Darcy grinned.

"No, I do not have any urge to weep over a fictional story, now if you do not mind…please leave," Loki said, as politely as he could. Darcy sighed and stood up, mock saluting him.

"Okay boss, whatever you say," Darcy said, before leaving through the front door. Loki was left with a puzzled expression.

* * *

Damn, Loki had figured out how she had gotten into his apartment and fixed it completely. Magically sealed it too, from the way her laser cutter didn't work this time. So Darcy had spent that day bored until she decided to just go ahead and knock on his door, taking him by surprise and walking in past him. He must have realised that resistance was futile because he shut the door and sat down next to her as before. She went on catch up TV and found the sad film that was on this morning. Titanic. All these films created specifically to kick you in the tear ducts. Needless to say, she cried again, he offered her tissues and they discussed whether or not the panel could have supported both of them, though in reality it wouldn't have. She left of her own accord that time, probably surprising him since he usually had to tell her to leave. She liked to keep him on his toes. Hot damn, this was getting far too familiar.

Darcy took hold of her door handle when she heard the door opposite hers open and she looked around to see Jane exit her room.

"Oh, Darcy! I was just about to knock for you; do you fancy grabbing a coffee?" Jane asked. Darcy smiled brightly, so glad Jane hadn't come out a few seconds before.

"Of course! I feel like we don't talk enough these days," Darcy said. She watched Jane flush sheepishly.

"I'm sorry Darcy; I know they've shut you out of the loop since they don't realise how useful you are—" Jane started, before Darcy flapped her hands.

"Hey, hey, I'm not a scientist, remember? All that technical jargon kinda flies over my head, mainly because I never really took it seriously in school. Too busy heading up debates in philosophy class and exhausting the library's many books," Darcy said.

"Exactly. I was always rubbish with debate and analysing literary marvels," Jane said, with a smile. "I'm sure we can find something that you can do; right now they don't want either of us far from our rooms, and I guess I've been stuck to my computer."

"You seriously need to take breaks more often, Janey! Thor's not gonna like a girl who gets early wriiiiiinkles," Darcy teased, making Jane swat her in the arm before they both laughed. When they stopped, Darcy became more serious.

"You really don't think of me as a pain in the ass? I mean, I—" Darcy started.

"You might not understand everything that goes on in my field, but you're still plenty smart, Darce. If I've implied otherwise, it's because my head's up in the clouds," Jane said.

"When isn't it?" Darcy grinned, earning another swat. "Kidding, kidding. Thanks, Jane. Now how about we get that coffee?"

* * *

The next morning Darcy felt cheerier than before; her coffee with Jane had turned into having a meal together, just the two of them, as they talked. Of course, over the year that Thor was back in Asgard, they'd become closer and felt more need to be around each other as friends, rather than just because they worked together. They'd found out they had a lot more in common than originally thought and bonded over Ben and Jerry's ice cream. Because who could resist that, especially when it was chocolate flavoured? It was only when they were stuck in Tromso when they became truly reliant on each other. Best friends, even. Jane didn't really have many friends. The odd one she caught up with here and there, but it left much to be desired. Darcy had a number of friends, but ever since Thor landed, she'd had little time to truly hang out with them between S.H.I.E.L.D. keeping an eye on her and her final year of college.

Unlike per usual, Darcy didn't even bother checking the television in her room. Somehow she'd become just a little fond of watching TV with Doom and Gloom, even if she really shouldn't. She knocked on his door and waited, but it didn't take long before the door opened and she didn't give the guy a chance to stop her before ducking inside. However, the downside of this was the lack of foresight to his mood. Darcy turned around to see that Loki was positively seething. Sure, he was usually all scowl and no smiles, but this was a different thing entirely. Darcy couldn't help but feel just a little bit scared by his expression. Just a little, mind. He still couldn't hurt her. She found she couldn't move as the God stepped closer to her, towering over her.

"I tire of your presence, mortal. Do you think that because I am powerless to physically harm you that I am free to be mocked and treated as though my privacy and personal space can be ignored? I know that if I appeared in your room whilst you were changing your garments that you would scream and insist that I leave, even attack me with that weapon of yours. Therefore, you will leave and never return, understood?" Loki hissed.

Darcy blinked at him. She never really thought about that before. Really, it had just been a case of her wanting to watch TV, then he had appeared and she'd freaked…and the next day, well, it was almost like a self-imposed dare. "I didn't think—" Darcy started, but Loki cut her off.

"No, you did not; none of you ever do. I would have thought someone such as yourself would respect those around them," Loki spat.

"What do you mean _someone like me_? What are you trying to say?" Darcy asked, her eyes narrowing.

"A shadow. A useless assistant who merely serves those with more talent and intelligence. Those destined for more than simple, menial tasks. How many here in this building actually know your name?" Loki asked snidely. Darcy blinked, this time her face full of hurt and she couldn't help but feel the prickle of tears. She wasn't usually taken by insults. Normally, she would just ignore them, argue back or simply flip them off if it was that bad, but this was an issue she had been trying to push out of her mind. It was one of the reasons why she had asked Jane yesterday whether she truly thought she was worth something. Working around someone like Jane, who pursued her dreams and worked so damned hard, even when things were tough, was difficult and made her feel like a useless gopher. Having a God say these things out loud…

"You're wrong! Jane—" Darcy spoke.

"Miss. Foster will say anything to soothe, I am sure," Loki spat. "Someone to speak to when she cannot speak to Thor." Darcy scrunched up her face, hurt, before rushing out of the room and into her own, slamming the door and throwing herself onto her bed.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

 **Show 'em what you're worth**

Darcy was glad to have had another girlie evening with Jane after the incident with Loki; Jane had actually noticed her low mood (Jane was a great friend, but with her head up in space so much, she was quite easy to hide from when Darcy felt down and was atrociously unable to hide her feelings). While Darcy didn't want to confess her little rendezvous' with Thor's evil brother, she did allude to her feelings that came from Loki's little tirade. Jane guessed immediately that someone had made her feel this way after they had confirmed the opposite the day before and Jane didn't push for a name, she just got out a tub of ice cream and they watched Legally Blonde. Ice cream and a film about girl power was always a good way to end a day.

It was the next day now and Darcy felt like she could confront the asshat and give him what for. Sure, she had invaded his privacy, but she hadn't deserved getting ripped into like that. Preying on her insecurities like that; he had no right to go there. So, he would get an earful from her. Darcy steeled herself and went to his door, knocking on it and waiting; it was a longer wait than yesterday, but when he finally opened the door, she barged past him and stood in his living room, unwilling to budge. She watched Loki shut the door with slight irritation in his expression.

"I thought I had gotten rid of you," Loki growled.

"Shut the hell up, you arrogant asshole! Just because you're some self-proclaimed God and a Prince does _not_ give you the right to treat people like dirt! Then again, what can I really expect from an evil jerk like you who finds it fun to go around blasting cities off the face of the Earth? First you send that giant robot down to New Mexico, nearly killing your own brother, then you bring an alien army down to destroy New York!" Darcy shouted at him. Loki looked taken aback.

"Thor is _not_ my—" Loki started, someone feebly.

"Oh, just _shut up_! Thor still loves you and your parents still love you, even though you did all of this and tried to blow up some planet. Some parents would disown kids for less than that, you ungrateful son of a…anyway. You can call me useless and stupid, but I'd rather be that than a heartless dick who has no friends!" Darcy berated him. She could have sworn she saw a flash of hurt flicker across his face before it disappeared.

"You don't even know me. Yet you'll happily insult me. You know, before all of that shit you pulled, you sounded like the type of guy I'd have fun hanging around with. And Thor misses his brother, the one he had before he turned crazy. There are people out there who don't have families and now there are more because you frikkin' killed them. So I hope you're happy with yourself, because if you are, you're going to need to be enough to keep yourself content because no one likes evil bastards!" Darcy ranted, before stomping out of the room and slamming the door, not even giving a last look at him to see how he reacted. She didn't care; she was too angry. She was aware that maybe she had gone overboard and far too harsh, especially since she shouldn't have invaded his privacy, but anger didn't particularly make good friends with logic and reason. Despite this, she also felt a little accomplished. She returned to her room for the time being.

* * *

Loki stood there speechless, which was becoming more and more regular an occurrence. He had been in a bad mood the day before after a brief visit from Thor and he had not wanted her company. He still didn't really want her company; company meant the small chance of getting to know them and getting close, and Loki did not want any of that. Loki was not sure _what_ he wanted, aside from his powers and immortality back. That would mean making amends, but could he? This was not the work of an arrogant Prince marching into Jotunheim against orders. This was so much more and he didn't know whether it was reparable. Loki stepped closer to the sofa and sat down, deep in thought before realising he had sat on something. Moving, he picked up the remote control for the TV. He settled back down and clicked the on button, turning it to the channel that Darcy favoured. The words Seven Pounds came up on the screen after the film began and he silently watched the film.

Loki also thought about her words; he had wondered over their few encounters why she came to his room, knowing full well he was the monster who caused great chaos, _twice_ , upon her realm. Why would she place herself in such a presence? Why would she not feel disgusted by his presence? She was a normal person with nothing bad in her background, unlike some of the members of the Avengers team. Loki could already see that this film was not quite like the others; it was a tragedy from the very beginning, and just under two hours later, he is staring at the credits, feeling something inside that hurt. But he did not cry like Darcy would have.

Loki stood up and turned off the TV, settling the remote control neatly down on the coffee table and exiting his room. He stared at Darcy's door for a moment before he left the corridor completely and made his way up the stairs towards the room that Dr. Banner had made his case against him. It was almost completely empty, save for the quiet gasp coming from a random corner. Loki looked over to see a fair haired woman who appeared to be neatening out the room. Stark's woman. Her shocked expression quickly became a guarded one and he turned away, walking to the windows and stepping out of the door to walk onto the platform Stark had relinquished his armour on. Naturally the woman was suspicious of him. Therefore a smart one. He came to the edge of the platform, looking over the city. It seemed little better off than when he had arrived; smoke billowing, emergency sirens polluting the airwaves…the Chittauri bodies had been removed, at least.

Loki sat down on the edge, feet dangling over and staring down at the city before closing his eyes. The Avengers were down there shifting rubble and trying to repair the city. Loki knew he could do it faster. Glass started flying back towards its place, repairing itself as if it had not been smashed when the metal beasts had scraped the sides of the building. Concrete roads and pavements mended themselves, and cars flipped back over onto their wheels, restored to how they were before. Fires were extinguished, road signs re-aligned and shop fronts fixed themselves. There was a lot to fix and it took a couple of hours. In the meantime, Stark had landed behind him and removed his armour, saying nothing. One by one the Avengers had each returned to that room, conversing and he knew his reparations were the focal discussion. He ignored them, for the most part, concentrating on fixing what he had broken.

After he finished, he stood up and looked around at the city that was now fixed. Loki felt drained; he was still very weak and the mortal body did not help. He turned and walked back into the room, which seemed to grow silent as he entered.

"So, you finally decided to help. Well, perhaps you could have a drink with us," Stark said. Loki merely made eye contact with Thor and left them to it. Loki was not in the mood to celebrate with those who he had not even made amends with. It would be some time before any of them became friendly with him, though he supposed Stark would be one of the first. Barton would be last, if at all. Loki had no problem with this; his desire for company was not so desperate that he wanted the archer to forgive him. It did fascinate him that there were humans who still practiced archery, but that was as far as it went. He found his way to his floor and room, taking hold of the handle before turning when he heard footsteps. Darcy. Loki kept an unreadable expression on his face as he regarded her. They said nothing to one another and Loki pushed the handle down before entering his room and closing the door behind him. He stepped over to the sofa and lay down, closing his eyes.

* * *

Darcy was surprised to see Loki out of his room; she had started to think of him as a hermit, as she had certainly heard nothing from the others about him taking little trips out of there either. Not to mention there was something about him; something different. Like he had aged a decade or something, which was weird given how he and his brother were, you know, immortal and all. Darcy knew he didn't particularly look healthy to begin with, but his current look was even worse. So rather than going to her room as planned, she decided to head upstairs. When she found the Avengers sitting around and laughing with drinks, Darcy walked up to them.

"Hey, Darcy! Come and join us," Tony said, beckoning her over to sit with them. When she did, he got up and got her a drink he knew she liked. She thanked him and looked at Thor.

"I bumped into your brother just now; I don't think I've seen him come out of his bat cave before today," Darcy said, neglecting to say that she had seen him since the tasering incident. She watched as Thor practically lit up.

"Yes! He came and helped us fix the city!" Thor boomed, sounding proud and happy. Clint snorted.

"You mean he came and fixed it all with his magic, leaving us looking like useless beggars. Don't get me wrong; it was his shit to clean up, but that was way too easy," Clint said, displeased.

"Did you tell him he had to do it by hand?" Darcy asked.

"Well, no, but—" Clint started.

"Maybe he can read minds, I don't know, but it doesn't sound like he did read them, so how's he to know?" Darcy asked.

"Why are you defending him?" Clint asked. Darcy shrugged.

"I'm not; I have a degree in political science. It's in my nature to try and see both sides, work out better solutions," Darcy said, before sipping her drink. One glance at Thor showed her that she was definitely on that man's good list. She was really glad Thor hadn't given up on Loki; sure, she wasn't on Loki's side. He had a heck of a lot to make up for and she didn't trust him, but she was sure that things would be worse if he had no one left. That sort of thing could really make a person desperate and give them no reason to bring themselves back up into the light.

"I am sure my brother will carry on proving himself; he came up here of his own free will and assisted us. It is a good start," Thor said, standing up and retrieving another beer for himself. Darcy was so glad the sofas were big, because she would be squashed between Thor and Tony. Not that Tony was huge, but whatever.

"So, what do the rest of you think? I'm curious," Darcy said, sipping her drink and making a mental note to make sure she didn't drink too many of these.

"It's a good start. He started sooner than I had anticipated," Natasha replied. Darcy raised an eyebrow, but the Black Widow said no more. She was truly a woman of professionalism; Darcy, from hearing the full story of what happened from the various members (at her persistence), had expected Agent Romanov to say something along the lines of what Clint had said.

"I am of the firm belief that if a man wants to atone for his sins, then we should allow him the chance. If we didn't, then we would just be giving him fuel to try again," Steve said.

"I'm with Steve. I haven't forgiven him, but if he makes an effort, then it's something," Bruce said.

"A good number of us have our skeletons; his are little different," Tony said.

"Thank you, friends," Thor said, beaming.

 _Maybe things wouldn't be too bad after all_ , Darcy thought.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's note:** Hey guys! So sorry for the wait! Thanks for the reviews and to the guest who reviewed and I couldn't reply to, I appreciate them! I always get so happy seeing what people think!

I hope you enjoy the next few chapters!

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

 **Is it not worth the risk?**

Darcy groaned as work restarted; she had been enjoying the little break, even if it was highly inappropriate and she should be grateful she still had a job. Sure, most places had their shops and whatnot restored, but the lives were impossible to bring back. Tony was talking about creating a monument for the lives lost, and Darcy thought that was a pretty spectacular idea. Then she could have somewhere to pay her respects. Darcy was the kind of person who visited churches and cathedrals even if she wasn't religious just for the architecture and such. Lighting a candle and donating a dollar. She also had a thing for taking pictures; she had all sorts of pictures from all the different places she had been. Although, a few of the pictures she had were a little tainted. Apparently her picture of one of the buildings was the one Loki had gone in and terrorised in some tailored suit. Stupid Norse God.

Her job was the same as ever; assisting Jane with her work, making sure she didn't die from starvation, thirst or exhaustion, writing up notes and other such things. S.H.I.E.L.D. was giving her a salary, especially since they were looking into her work and would decide whether or not to take her on. Her degree would apparently come in handy for them and her observational skills had also been noted. That and Jane was a damned good reference, bless her heart. Darcy wasn't sure what she would be doing with S.H.I.E.L.D., but if she was going to actually get some use out of the thousands of dollars she had spent to get that degree, then she was very happy. She'd realised about halfway through working for it that she didn't actually know what she would do with a Political Science degree. Oh, she had Computer Science on the side, but it wasn't the major, you know?

Darcy didn't mind working for Jane, especially now that they knew each other better. At first, back before Thor's arrival, she'd been viewed as a bit of a nuisance because she didn't have a clue about what everything was. Of course, she soon learnt a lot about the technology. She was pretty damn good with computers. Something she was able to discuss in a lot of length with Tony and hot damn there was no outsmarting that guy. She knew a loss when she saw one. It was still fun learning about his technology; naturally she didn't get to learn any secrets, but most people didn't have a clue about technology other than how to use it. Behind the scenes? Lost.

Work was going well and she decided to take her break at 1 o'clock. Darcy got her pot noodle and various snacks and a drink before taking them upstairs to Tony's lounge. She was about to sit down when a green light caught her attention and she looked out of the window, moving closer until she could see the back of Loki with the green light projecting up into the sky. What the hell was he doing? Darcy stepped outside, making sure that her footsteps would be heard, before going to the ledge he was on.

"What are you doing?" Darcy asked, curiously. "You're not sending the killing curse to the sky, are you? We kinda need it, you know." Okay, so she couldn't help the joke. She didn't even know whether he would get the reference.

"No, I am clearing your atmosphere of its pollutants," Loki replied, sounding tired.

"Oooh. Oh wow. You can do that?" Darcy asked. "Hey, how long have you been up here? You sound like you—" She dropped her food as she saw him slipping. Automatically, Darcy found herself wrapping her arms around his chest and, oh _God_ , was he heavy. She tried ever so hard to pull him back over, but as she started yelling for Thor, she was falling over with him, her shins scraping on the ledge as she'd tried in vain to grab it with her legs and oh, _God_ , she was falling and she was going to die.

* * *

Loki had noted the time at 10am and there was no Darcy. No, the last time he had watched a film with her was three days ago and although he had seen her since, he found he kind of missed it. It was a frustrating feeling, missing someone, because he hadn't felt such an emotion in a very long time. Not consciously, anyway. The films they watched were sad and he would not particularly want to re-watch them, but there was something about watching someone with no compulsion to hide her emotions weep over something fictional. He might pretend it was a silly notion to cry over something that wasn't even real, but fiction had the power to draw you in and let you feel the emotion of the characters. Especially books. Perhaps he didn't _cry_ , but he certainly _felt_ when he read books. And he had read a lot of books. Some were dull, but some were riveting.

So Loki made his way back up to the top floor and exited through to the balcony he had fixed the city from. He sat upon the ledge and stared up at the sky for a moment. There were some differences, of course, but it was not completely different to the sky of Asgard. There was, however, something wrong with it and he knew it had to do with the technology the mortals created that shifted great amounts of what he knew to be pollutants into the atmosphere. Therefore he decided to help clear that up. He was here to assist Midgard and by helping with something that was _not_ his fault, Loki would show them that he wasn't just doing it because he had to. Hopefully. In all honesty, he wasn't sure if he would ever put himself in a good light.

Loki performed an intricate spell, glowing green in colour, before sending it up into the sky. It would take a long time and sometime into it he saw Iron Man fly up into his vision. He didn't really care what the man was doing in his suit despite there being no threats, but naturally the man wasn't going to leave Loki alone.

"What are you doing, Reindeer Games?" Stark asked.

"Clearing your atmosphere of all of that dirt your technology produces," Loki replied, his eyes not leaving the sky.

"Well, _my_ technology is clean, but…yeah…wow. No, that's really cool. Magic can do a lot, huh?" Stark asked.

"Yes, though there are some limitations," Loki responded.

"Let me guess: you can't bring back the dead?" Stark asked. Loki stiffened a little, but carried on with the spell seamlessly.

"Correct. I have heard tell that there are ways to bring back a dead person, but the price is high," Loki said.

"Like, for real? Not all Fullmetal Alchemist shit?" Stark asked. Loki blinked. "Nevermind, it's a reference I doubt even half of Earth will get. Anyway, yeah, that makes sense. I do hope evil people aren't brought back; we don't need those Chittauri back."

"The guardian of Helheim would not allow it," Loki said dryly.

"That's good. I'll leave you to it," Stark said, before shooting off somewhere. Leaving him in peace as he carried on with what he had set out to do. It must have been a few hours before he heard the deliberate footfall of another visitor. Darcy Lewis. She got very close to him and he noticed now he was getting tired, before everything went black.

* * *

When Loki's eyes shot open after a brief moment of unconsciousness, he saw the city in a fast blur and realised he was falling. He also felt the feeling of arms around him and the pounding of her heart, the soft whimpers and words that were incoherent in her terror. It was Darcy. She had tried to stop him from falling over the edge and now she was paying for it as they fell to what would definitely be their deaths. Loki swivelled in her grasp on him and wrapped his own arms around her before closing his eyes and using his magic to slow them down a great deal. His magic wasn't strong enough to transport them instantly, but he could slow their descent and turn them around enough to eventually land on their feet.

Well, kind of.

Toppling to the ground, Loki lay with Darcy sprawled on his chest, staring up at the sky with wide eyes. His heart was beating quite fast and he still held onto Darcy. The girl in question shakily got up onto her elbows, the points resting on the leather of his garb and looked terrified. As she rightly should be.

"You-you…we…oh my God," Darcy wheezed, falling back down and dropping her face onto his chest, not caring to get up. People were mulling around them, shocked and scared. Some recognised him from the footage of the attack and ran away screaming, others were probably wondering how the hell the two of them had survived. Loki didn't care enough to get up and quickly leave. Instead, he just lay there. The mortal on top of him made another attempt to lean on her elbows.

"That was scarier than that time you sent the giant robot," Darcy breathed, and he could still feel her heart beating frantically. "You saved me…though I guess you had to, what with the whole unable to hurt me thing and all." Loki shook his head.

"Not because of that…" Loki breathed. His breath came out shuddering and a single tear left each of his eyes. "I did not want another death to my name." He heard the strained noise come from Darcy and the next thing he knew, her lips were on his. He blinked a few times and had no time to consider responding to it before she pulled back and rested her head against his chest.

"Thank you," she whispered.

The next thing he knew, Thor came into his vision and helped Darcy up before offering Loki his hand too. Loki looked at Thor for a moment before inwardly sighing and allowing himself to be pulled up. He did step away from Thor and walked back into the building, ending up in the elevator with the two.

"Loki, what happened? Jane saw you and Lady Darcy falling," Thor inquired.

"I used too much magic and must have been rendered unconscious. Miss. Lewis—" Loki started.

"I tried to grab him before he fell, but the momentum caught me. Thank God he woke up," Darcy said, shivering a little. Thor put an arm around her before looking at Loki.

"I think you should perhaps be more careful, brother, but I am truly grateful that you saved her life," Thor said, smiling widely. Loki just waved his hand at him, tired. The doors opened and Loki strode through the corridor, coming to the door of his room. With one last look at Darcy, he entered his room.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

 **I wish I knew you before**

It had been a week since the last time he had seen Darcy and he would be lying if he wasn't a little bit disappointed in her lack of presence. He spent his time reading books, since he needed to recover some more after being rendered unconscious from such an act of magic. Now, whether that was because he was still recovering from Dr. Banner's assault or whether it was his weak mortal body, he didn't know, but he hadn't bothered to try a second attempt since. Next time, he would definitely stay away from the edge. Because this time, he would die.

Loki had found himself watching the films in the morning; each one some form of sad story, from the Notebook, to A. I., P.S. I love you and a walk to remember. Each were sad in their own way, though as usual he did not cry. A.I. he came close to, but nothing. He did find them interesting to watch, however, but none that he would care to visit again. Oh, Loki did like re-reading a book after a very long time, but it had to be a particularly good one. After all, he knew what was to come, so what would be the point in revisiting? It would not hold the original excitement, the mystery, the pleasure. Loki had seen the advert the day before, just after he had watched the film, for the next one. That they were moving on to romance films and chick flicks. Whatever they were. Loki had figured out how to use the television by now and he had set today's one to record. He didn't know why.

Instead, he lay across the length of the sofa, having used some magic on it to make it longer, and opened up a book. Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings. Loki had spotted it in the library years ago on a trip to London and had finally decided to read it. However, he heard his door opening and looked up to find Darcy coming in with a bunch of things in her arms. She walked over towards him, looked at him briefly before shrugging and settling herself on his ankles. The nerve of her. Not that she was heavy; he could withstand much heavier weights, but that was beside the point. And yet, he was oddly amused by her daring. He held his book, staring at her until she turned her head.

"So, they're starting the chick flick season now. Annnd for some reason I thought it'd be a shame to start it without you, so, I've brought snacks. Jane gave me the day off since Thor decided to take her out for the day. So, how about it? These films are much better than the ones we've watched," Darcy said. Loki managed to remove his feet from under her and straighten himself out, putting his book down.

"Very well," Loki said, before Darcy beamed and turned the TV on, and they watched a film called Bridget Jones' Diary. Loki noticed that Darcy was much more vocal whilst watching this particular film and it was more agreeable to her person, rather than the sadness that rolled off her when watching the tragedies. It was not an unpleasant film and he did particularly like the conflict between the two men. He would have found the woman rather stupid to have gone with the man called Daniel. Once it ended, he heard and felt the changing of Darcy's position on the sofa.

"So? What did you think? I heard you laughing," Darcy said, her eyebrows wriggling. Loki shook his head at her expression.

"It was enjoyable; far better than the other ones," Loki answered.

"Ooooh, then you're one for romance, eh?" Darcy grinned.

"It at least means someone is having some fortune in their romantic lives; I personally prefer to read it than experience that particular, inevitable heartache," Loki said.

"So even before you went crazy you weren't popular with the ladies? Why not?" Darcy asked. Loki raised an eyebrow at her.

"Why not? I was not particularly popular with most; I was always different and a lot of the time the females would look past me and onto Thor," Loki said impassively. Before Darcy's little kiss, it had been quite a while since he had experienced anything remotely romantic. Judging by her attitude, she thought no more of it than he did. A simple, heat of the moment action that spoke more of gratitude than anything else.

"Huh. Weird," Darcy said.

"How so?" Loki asked.

"It's just, you know, if you hadn't done all those stupid things, I'd probably be all over you," Darcy said. "You're handsome; like, way more than Thor. Sure, he's cut big time, but I find you more attractive. Just don't take that to mean I've got a crush, I don't."

"Hmm. How odd," Loki responded, but puzzled inwardly over her words. He didn't know what she meant by 'cut', but he assumed it had nothing to do with scars or wounds. Thor hadn't gotten himself into any such trouble so bad it would leave scars. Even then he probably would have had them healed by now. This mortal found him attractive, when most in Asgard preferred Thor. Loki had courted outside of Asgard, of course; after all, those outside were a little more likable. "Worry not; if you had a crush, then I would certainly have to question your sanity."

"I'll book myself into the crazy ward if that ever happens," Darcy laughed.

"I will make sure to visit," Loki said. "Perhaps in disguise; would not want you to get excited."

Darcy laughed some more. "Aww, that's so sweet," she said, sarcastically and they both shared a laugh before going silent. Loki had to admit, if only inwardly, that her presence wasn't unbearable. He was already at that point where he would miss her presence and he cursed himself for that; getting attached. She didn't even overly _like_ him, considering his actions, and he was plenty glad that she didn't. Unlike Thor, Loki did not want to make such attachments only for them to die in half a dozen decades, give or take. Darcy stood up. "I should probably go, rather than bother you any further. I'd say we'll do this again tomorrow, but alas, work calls." Loki nodded at her, standing up and leading her to the door, opening it.

"It's been fun," Darcy said with a smile, before returning to her room. Loki closed the door behind her and looked around his room, before returning to his book.

* * *

Darcy got out of work the next day at about 5pm and she was ready for some her time. Jane was trying to figure out how to successfully create her Einstein-Rosenbridge thingy so that they could get to Asgard. Maybe even help fix the Bifrost. Though how they would do _that_ she didn't know. Darcy wouldn't stress over that; it was not her job. Unlocking her door, she entered and closed it, dropping her stuff by the door before making a beeline for the kitchen. More specifically, the fridge. Something caught her attention before she got to the fridge and she stepped to the counter. A piece of paper with fancy green handwriting on it. Paper? Scratch that; _parchment_. Who the hell used parchment? Unless—

 _Darcy,_

 _I have recorded today's showing of 'Maid in Manhatten', if you wish to view it._

 _Loki._

Darcy must have stood there blinking at the message for ten minutes, or at least it felt rather long. Loki actually wanted to watch it with her? He had always been the one having his privacy invaded and she had always just watched it regardless of whether or not he actually wanted to. It was just so shocking that he would go out of his way to ask her. Darcy wasted no more time and got some snacks, leaving her room and entering Loki's. He was sat down on his couch and looked up at her when she entered. Darcy walked over and plonked herself in front of the TV. There was a small part of her that felt like teasing the guy, but she didn't; quite frankly, whatever this was, she was happy to carry on their film tradition. They watched in silence and when it ended, she could see he had been transfixed.

"Liked it?" Darcy asked.

"It was acceptable," Loki responded, which made Darcy scoff.

"Whatever man. All I know is that you liked it," Darcy said. They were silent for a moment. "You know, I was really surprised by your note; I totally thought that you were just tolerating my presence and the films because, hey, big brother could cause some trouble for you, or whatever."

Loki did not bother to correct her. "It distracts from the monotony of life in this tower," Loki said.

"Okay, Rapunzel, but you don't have to stay in your room, you know," Darcy said.

"I think the last time I exited was enough _excitement_ for the time being," Loki said dryly.

"That was pretty scary, but you just need to be more careful, that's all," Darcy said. "Thor says you're mortal now, so we would have both been cracked eggs on the sidewalk."

"Yes," Loki answered, before going silent.

"Speaking of eggs, is the myth about the eight-legged horse true?" Darcy asked.

"Sleipnir is real, but I am not his mother," Loki said.

"Aww, that's a shame," Darcy said. Loki raised an eyebrow at her. "It was the best myth! And I could totally have a lot to tease you about then."

"Thankfully he is not my child," Loki said.

"Hey, there's nothing to be ashamed of. If the myths are right, you're a shapeshifter and thus it would be natural," Darcy said. "It just so happens a number of us mortals would find it strange. I would find it cool."

"I assure you that Asgardian opinion would not differ much," Loki said dryly. "In some ways Asgard is more advanced than Midgard, in others not."

"You don't have TV; you're totally cave men," Darcy joked, which made Loki roll his eyes, but she detected a hint of a smile there. So, he was not completely loyal to Asgard; whether he would be like this before he went bat-shit crazy, she didn't know, but this was definitely something. "You know, you're a lot nicer like this."

"And you are foolish if you think that," Loki said. Darcy wasn't sure whether he was just trying to appear tough, but whatever.

"Maybe I am," Darcy replied nonchalantly.

* * *

Later that evening, Loki heard a knock at his door. He put aside his book and stood up, walking to the door and opening it to find Thor there. He silently let him in, closing the door and returning to his spot on the sofa. Thor came and sat down on the other end of the sofa and they sat in awkward silence before Thor finally spoke up.

"What happened last week?" Thor asked finally, not having spoken to him properly in a while. He didn't particularly care; their relationship was strained and mainly one-sided. Thor had high hopes, Loki was quite sure of it, and Loki couldn't really bring himself to fill them. Still, the oaf could dream if it helped him sleep at night.

"I was ridding the atmosphere of the pollutants…mortal technology is filthy," Loki responded, picking up his book and finding his page. He missed the look of surprise on Thor's face.

"That is—," Thor started, but Loki cut him off.

"Selfish. Perhaps going out of my way will allow me my original form back," Loki lied seamlessly. Thor frowned, though Loki missed this expression as well.

"If that is so, why would you confess to such?" Thor asked.

"Odin would know regardless," Loki said, with a shrug. Thor sighed and left Loki to his own devices, not wishing to deal with him anymore today.

* * *

A month passed and Darcy and Loki had gotten into a routine of watching films Loki would have recorded while she worked, or they watched on a random day Jane would give her off. In the meantime, Thor had been visiting Loki here and there, respecting Loki's wishes if he didn't want visitors, but being allowed to the majority of the time. Which was an improvement in his eyes. Thor had spoken with Darcy with regards of Loki's confession, which surprised her since she had seen Loki tear up. She told Thor exactly what happened and although Thor couldn't be sure or understand why Loki would attempt to make himself look bad in Thor's eyes, he was still hopeful. He felt like it was entirely possible that he could have his brother back. Thor had talked to Tony Stark and the removal of the pollutants was definitely useful. Thor felt proud that such progress had been made in his brother; that action was not something he was obligated to do, not really. But he did it anyway. He saved Darcy as well.

Thor sat with Jane in the lounge with Tony, Pepper and Bruce. Thor had his arm around Jane and was smiling down at her. Darcy walked in with Steve, between them holding eight boxes of pizza and many boxes of fries. They put them down on the coffee table between their sofas and also put down various dips.

"Still the extra pizza?" Tony asked.

"Hey, you never know," Darcy said. "You've no idea how awkward it is when someone you thought wasn't coming turns up and there's not enough pizza. And it's not like it goes to waste." Darcy threw a glance at Thor and Steve. Darcy sat down and opened each pizza. "Okay, that's Tony's." And she started giving them out.

"Well, look at that, looks like Thor and Steve won't be demolishing the last," Tony said. Darcy looked up and spotted Loki in the door way. Looking at Thor a moment later, anyone would think that it was his birthday.

"Brother! Come and join us; we have a pizza for you here as well," Thor said. Loki stepped towards them looking a little unsure of himself and sat down on Darcy's other side. Darcy handed him the last pizza.

"It's anchovy and mushroom; Thor said you weren't a fussy eater," Darcy said before handing him a box of fries. "There's some dip on the table if you want it."

"Oh, drinks, what would you like, Mr. Potter?" Tony asked, ignoring the bored look he received from the green-eyed God. Instead he saw a drink appear in Loki's hand instead. "Or you can Harry Potter yourself some instead, that's cool."

They ate in silence for a few moments, Darcy carefully not looking at him and likewise.

"So, Loki, do you really have an eight-legged horse for a son?" Tony asked.

"No," Loki replied, exasperated. Luckily for him he missed Darcy's smirk.

"How about wives or children…?" Bruce asked.

"Nah, do you really think he'd be here alive if he had a wife? No," Tony said. Loki sighed and shook his head, focussing back on his pizza. He heard Thor laugh and the girl next to him snigger, but otherwise their conversation was blocked out. The thought of having had even one wife was laughable. Two? That was absurd. He finished his pizza and chips, as everyone else had and Pepper stood up to tidy away, but Loki waved his hand and all of the rubbish disappeared.

"Oh! Thank you," Pepper said. Loki nodded. He sat there and listened as chatter carried on around him, and he noticed that the agents weren't there. Probably a good thing; he knew from what Thor had told him that Barton was furious that Loki was here and the only reason he didn't move out was because he'd rather be there to ward off a second attack. Barton thought it inevitable, apparently. Selvig, on the other hand, had upped and left after Jane told him. Loki could not blame him, really. After listening to some of the chatter, he decided to take his leave. He had made an effort here and didn't particularly fancy anything drawn out.

He ignored Thor's encouragements to stay and left.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's note:** Just a heads up that this chapter contains sensitive topics, namely in non-graphic, averted suicide. I don't like to spoil things, but I know it is best to warn, just in case it triggers anyone. I hope to have portrayed this chapter reasonably. There is also minor reference to it in the next chapter too. But there is more humour in the next chapter, so never fear, it's not all angst.

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

 **It's not always easy**

No matter what he did, Loki couldn't get that Seven Pounds film out of his mind; it was so horrific and yet, it had struck a chord within him. Loki had tried to ignore it, but he couldn't. It was what had spurned him on to helping out with the rebuild; he had imagined Thor dragging him out there against his will before that. Loki had found various films to watch or books to read, ones with similar themes that only got him thinking even more. Why was it? Guilt? Loki couldn't really discern any of his emotions bar that of pain and anger, emotions he kept hold of. Ones he couldn't seem to get rid of. Instead, he decided to take a trip outside of the tower. Something he'd not done save for the time he fell off the tower with Darcy.

Loki dressed in a Midgardian pair of black trousers and a light blue shirt. He thought it would maybe take away from the fact that he was well-known on Midgard and much hated. For good reasons. Rumours had already flown around about his presence in New York, something that S.H.I.E.L.D. weren't able to quite stifle. Really, how they expected to keep it quiet forever was beyond him; it would be quite like Thor attempting to sneak into a room without a sound. It was rarely done (or perhaps that was his own little mean jibe). It was about a week since he joined Darcy and her avenging friends for pizza. He had declined last night's invitation and hadn't changed his mind afterwards either, but he and Darcy still watched films together. Apparently the next genre they would be showing was horror, and Darcy wanted to boycott those, but Loki had issued her a challenge (something along the lines of calling her a 'chicken', as the mortals would put it). Needless to say that got her riled up and ready to watch them with him.

He had the distinct feeling that she was regretting that decision, or would regret it.

It amused him greatly.

Loki exited his room and shut the door quietly, turning towards the entrance to the corridor before hearing a voice as Darcy came out of Jane's apartment.

"Hey, whoa, where are you off to?" Darcy asked, taking in his attire. Loki put his finger to his lips.

"I am leaving the tower for some part of the day; I do not wish for Thor to hear and make a racket," Loki said. Darcy's eyebrows raised and then she nodded, a look of understanding replacing her confusion.

"Yeah, he makes a big deal about _everything_. I hear you. Go, go! Run free, little bobcat," Darcy said. Loki cocked his head at her with a raised brow. "I'd offer you my company but, ah, well…"

"Our rendezvous' should remain silent; we would not want you to be accused of sympathising with the enemy and I of having a heart," Loki said, winking at her.

"H-hey, no, that's…I mean, we're not _friends_ , but…" Darcy spluttered. Loki put his finger to his lips again.

"We are just two people watching films together. No attachments," Loki said. "I wish to be alone on my venture. Have a pleasant day."

"Alriiighty," Darcy said cheerfully before she returned to her room. Loki carried on down the corridor and made his way out of the tower. Now, he could have easily exited in a quicker manner of simply transporting himself instantly outside, but he did not wish to startle any potential onlookers; especially since he wanted to be discreet and he did not wish to alarm the tower's occupants either. No, he didn't need dragging back to the tower. Loki managed to leave the tower without any fuss; one or two suspicious looks, but at worst he would just have a few people following him supposedly inconspicuously. He hadn't seen the Black Widow or the Hawk since his return to Midgard. No doubt the Director needed to keep the latter away lest there be an unnecessary incident.

It had been nearly two months since he became an occupant of the tower and he had healed fairly well from his injuries. He still had dark circles under his eyes, but they weren't quite as bad as before. Loki didn't particularly care much for his appearance these days. As he walked through the streets, he took in the countenances of the mortals milling through the streets. Some walked by as if he didn't exist, some stared (not many men had long hair around here, it seemed) and some people looked at him as if they either horribly suspected he was the one who invaded them or _knew_ he had. The latter quickly rushed past, not caring whether they were paranoid or not. Loki walked on as if these reactions hadn't occurred; he didn't care for others' opinions of him as long as he wasn't shipped back to the tower.

Loki wasn't really sure where he was going, but he was now quite far from the tower. There was a river nearby and there were very few people around there. Loki spotted a car with a young woman inside, just parked there. The car was on the road, sure, but there was something odd about the situation. He had a bad feeling about this. The woman looked like she was having a conflict of emotions, unsure what to do; either that or she knew what she wanted to do and was just having…second thoughts? Loki contemplated casting a spell so he could hear her thoughts, but he decided against it. Loki had barely blinked when the car suddenly revved and went speeding towards the river. Loki felt his heart rate shoot up and he transported himself into the woman's car, took hold of her and transported back out in time to see the car crash into the river.

The woman was disorientated for a moment, breathing heavily before she saw Loki and screamed. Loki put his hand over her mouth and kept hold of her arm.

"Quiet, please. No screaming," Loki said, fumbling for words, which was a strange occurrence for him. He reluctantly pulled his hand from her mouth when she calmed a little.

"Y-y-you…you're the…the…alien who-who…" The woman cried. Loki held her shoulders, having the decency to look grave. He felt something.

"Why did you attempt to kill yourself? You would have drowned," Loki asked. The woman started crying, weakly trying to push him away, but he imagined she didn't care what he might do to her. Not that he would have.

" _YOU_. You killed him! We had-had just returned from our honeymoon, a-and I was-was lucky that our apartment was-was further out, but his-his office building…one of those metallic things sliced right through his office…all because of _you_. He's dead," the woman cried, thumping his chest numerous times in her frustration. Loki stared down at the woman, who was rightfully angry and upset with him. "I can't…I can't live without him. I tried. I really did, but I just…" More tears sprung from her eyes and Loki was at a loss for words. She stopped thumping him, only to turn from him and throw up. Loki found himself with one hand clutching her stomach while the other held her hair back.

Loki felt an inexplicable amount of guilt and pain washing over him as he had listened to her. Helpless and unable to live with the pain. He remembered that feeling very well. That very feeling he had felt whilst dangling from the Bifrost, holding onto Gungnir. Loki had felt no comfort in Odin's words and, despite Thor's distraught features, he fell. Loki couldn't take the pain. And here was a young woman who felt the same. Except, Loki was intelligent enough to admit that she was in a far worse state. All because of him. Of course, she wouldn't fall into the clutches of Thanos and the Other if she had gotten further in her quest for death, but Loki didn't want anyone else to die. Then he felt something. Something perhaps a little like hope. When the woman straightened up, he summoned a glass of fresh spring water and offered it to her, which she stared at with horror at first.

"Fresh water," Loki said, weakly.

"H-how…" She asked.

"I possess magic," Loki answered simply. She seemed to weigh her options before taking the glass and drinking it. Loki knew what she might want next and summoned a pack of those mortal mint sweets. Something he wasn't overly fond of himself. She took the sweets and ate one in silence for a moment before looking at him.

"I-I can't…" The woman whispered shakily. Loki shook his head and put his hand back on her stomach.

"You can…you can live on for your unborn child," Loki told her calmly and as soothingly as he could, though he was sure he was out of practice for such comfort. The woman's eyes widened and her hands flew to her stomach.

"What?" She gasped. Loki smiled at her a little sadly.

"You are with child; you must have conceived on your honeymoon," Loki explained. Loki watched her react with shock, sadness and uncertainty. He imagined that she was unsure whether she could cope, but mixed with the feelings of happiness that usually came when one found out that one was with child.

"I don't know what…" Her voice broke and Loki found himself wrapping his arms around her.

"What is your name? Mine is Loki," Loki asked softly.

"Ava," she replied.

"Ava. I know I have caused you much pain, along with many others, and…I am not proud of my actions," Loki spoke softly, an edge of sadness and regret in his voice. "I have to live with that. As do you, because of me. This child could be the, ah, silver lining? I am not overly fluent in Midgardian sayings. If you do not wish to live for yourself, then live for her."

"Her? I'm having a daughter…? But it's too early to tell…" Ava said.

"Not for me; I am not a proper Seer, but I can see a few things, small things…like a small child," Loki said, softly. He heard and felt her break into more sobs, but he had a feeling that there was a little hope in these ones. Loki felt her pull back and watched as she wiped at her face, tucking her reddish brown hair back away from her eyes. "What will you do?"

"I…can't kill this child. We will live on, for Ezra…he wouldn't…he wouldn't want me to waste my life," Ava said, calmly and clearly. Loki nodded and gave her a small smile.

"Good," Loki said. "How about I take you home? You have a lot of preparations, I am sure…do you have friends to assist you?" She nodded. She then sighed.

"There goes my car…I don't think I'll be able to afford another," she said. Loki walked to the railings that separated the pavement from the river and pulled the car out of the river, placing it back onto the road, or perhaps it was the car park. He heard a few yells and screams. People running away. Loki didn't care. He fixed the railings and returned the car to its dry, natural state.

Loki returned to Ava's side.

"You really are magic…" Ava said, quietly, before looking at him with an expression of questioning. A little bit of hope. He found his heart aching.

"I am sorry…magic cannot bring back the dead," Loki said. Ava's expression fell, but he could see that she hadn't really expected a positive answer. "Come on, you should go home. It has been a rather trying day for you." Ava nodded and he realised that she probably would not be able to drive home like this. Loki took her by the arm. "Imagine your home and I will take you. Worry not for your vehicle." Soon, she was home. They stood in awkward silence for a moment as he wondered what to say. She looked equally unsure.

"Um…look, I don't really understand…after everything you've done, yet today…" Ava started. Loki shook his head.

"I do not need any gratitude; I owe Midgard far more than one life saved," Loki said, a little tiredly. "I will leave. Help can be found at Stark tower, if you need it."

Loki left her apartment and made his way back out into the street where he leant against the building and doubled over with his face in his hands.

* * *

The next day found him wandering around New York again; he supposed being trapped in the tower hadn't helped any…not that wandering around and looking at the mess you've made is any better. Loki felt the old vestiges of himself stirring; he did once have a heart, it was now just…broken. Beyond repair? Loki could honestly not answer as to whether or not he would ever return to his former glory. Did he want to? Return to a life of lies, where your friends weren't really your friends but his brother's? And oh, he was not his brother. Loki scowled to himself, sending a bunch of people who must have realised who he was flitting away. How long until some of their law bringers came onto the scene? Director Fury would have less trouble having announced his presence, but the man was a fool.

Loki clenched his fists, the anger bubbling up inside him. There was nothing left for him; no semblance of normality. He couldn't return to the old days. The days where he was trusted, at least, a lot more than he was now. The days when he wouldn't have to go around, igniting fear in the hearts of others, and what good was that? Even after these mortals perished, none of his former immortal allies would trust him. Should he find a way out of this punishment and just accept his fate? Accept what he is…a chaos bringer.

He looked up into the skies, eyes stony before they noticed something. Or rather, _someone_. He narrowed his eyes and transported himself, much to the shocked gasps and muffled screams of the onlookers. Loki reappeared atop the ledge of one of New York's many skyscrapers. A little away was a young man, perhaps in his mid-twenties, looking down over the ledge. Loki cleared his throat quietly, knowing that if he spooked him enough that he fell, Loki could easily pull him back up. The man jolted, but looked at Loki. Loki found no recognition in the man's face.

"Wha-what…don't try to stop me!" The man stammered.

"Alright, but why are you here?" Loki asked.

"I lost my daughter. I already lost my fiancée…I can't…I can't take it anymore," the man said. Loki ignored the feeling in his chest.

"In the attack?" Loki asked. The man shook his head.

"We weren't in New York at the time…we were trying to get treatment in Boston. She had cancer, you see," the man said, emotion lining his throat. "She didn't make it, and I just…I have nothing left." Loki stared at him, surprised that it was not another case against him. It also shocked him how many people contemplated killing themselves; was it really this common? It was tragic, really. Their lives were already so short and yet they would cut them even shorter? Loki knew little about Midgardian lives; sure, he was more aware than that of his b-of Thor, but his knowledge mainly consisted of literature and theatrical exploits. He knew of their cultures of old; of tradition, but not of the modernity. Of the things that truly inflicted them.

"Everyone has something," Loki said, although he could honestly not say whether he was lying here. Lies were easy; they slipped off his tongue like water from rain clouds. It was so simple to hide behind lies; hides one's feelings until it was difficult to remember _what_ you felt. "If not, forge a new path. Do not waste your already limited time." He stared at the man for a few moments.

"And if I can't?" The man asked, scared. Fear dripped off of him; fear of the unknown. Fear of death. The man was a basket of conflicting emotions; he did not think he could cope with the pain, yet he feared his own demise. Loki held out his hand to him, face serious.

"Then we jump," Loki said simply. The man looked scared and looked at Loki's hand before taking it, almost reluctantly. "You appear to lack conviction…do you not want to jump?"

"I-I…why would you…" The man asked.

"I am the one who brought the army here. I am also one of the ones who fixed the city. No one will miss me, but that in itself is a lie," Loki said, looking up at the sky. Deep down, he knew it was true, but he wasn't ready to accept it. He looked back at the man. "Except, I cannot jump with you. Not really. If we fell off here now…something would stop us dying, because I cannot hurt you. And now I have your hand; you cannot kill yourself." Loki actually found himself smiling at him triumphantly, the ghost of mischief back on his face. Relief seemed to wash over the man's face.

"LOKI! What are you doing?!" A familiar voice rumbled, as Thor landed on the ledge on the man's other side. The man wobbled and Loki took hold of both of his shoulders, fixing a level stare at the idiot he once called brother. Thor took hold of both Loki and the man, taking them to safety upon the ground before Thor marched Loki away and back to the tower. Thor took him up to the lounge before letting him go. Thor turned to Loki looking rather angry.

"What were you doing?"

"I was attempting to find out why he wished to jump and perhaps prevent it," Loki answered truthfully. A dark part of him had thought of lying; of twisting Thor's already negative view of him. He was not entirely sure _why_. "I _had_ just tricked the man into taking my hand. After all, if he still jumped with me attached, it would not work, would it?" Thor looked like he was trying to work out whether Loki was telling the truth. Loki found he was not bothered whether or not he believed him. In the past, he would have. The past was gone; exactly that what could no longer be reached.

"Is this the truth? If I find that man, will he tell me the same?" Thor asked.

"Yes," Loki said simply. He watched Thor leave and turned to the room, realising it was occupied. How did he not notice? He ignored the inhabitants and returned to his chambers.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

 **I don't think I deserve it**

Thor returned to the lounge maybe half an hour later, finding a number of his friends still within the room. He looked tired and exasperated, to which Tony poured him a tankard (bought especially for him) of beer to take the edge off. Thor dropped into the sofa with his beer and took a long swig of it; in all of the battles and all of the hardships, Thor had never faced such feelings. He worried for his brother, he was angry with his brother and he just didn't know what to do with himself. Thor realised today that while his brother couldn't hurt someone, there could be ways around it. His father and his brother were both extremely intelligent, powerful and cunning, Loki perhaps more so than their father, especially now. Who was to say Loki wouldn't find a way around their father's punishment? Who was to say Loki wouldn't regain full use of his powers again? It was terrifying and yet, today gave sign to the potential that his brother was still in there somewhere.

"What happened?" Jane asked, sitting down next to him and placing a hand on his knee.

"Loki, he saved that man's life; the man was attempting to end his own life and Loki talked him out of it," Thor said, an air of incredulity in his voice. Jane's eyebrows rose at that.

"That's good, right? I mean, it's…shocking, a little. You know. It means you were right," Jane said. "There's still some good left…even if it would take a lot for him to make up for what he did, if he can." Darcy sat down on the other side of Jane, sipping her drink.

"Maybe he doesn't want to get his hopes up; doesn't know how to feel," Darcy suggested. Thor looked up at both of the girls and nodded.

"It is maddening that my first instinct was one of suspicion; it makes me long for the old days, where the suspicion was for mere little pranks," Thor explained. Tony sat down on a sofa adjacent to him with a whiskey.

"You know, he was out of the tower yesterday as well. I could try and see where he went," Tony said. Thor thought it over for a few seconds and shook his head.

"I would rather he tell me himself," Thor said.

"Good luck with that," Tony said.

"How are things going with you and Loki by the way?" Darcy asked.

"Fair. We are not really anywhere close to our former relationship, but it is better now than it was when I first brought him here," Thor responded.

"Hopefully your little stint today hasn't messed that up, eh?" Darcy teased. Thor chuckled at that.

"It might; Loki knows how to hold a grudge and twist things to his advantage," Thor said.

"You did say he was nicknamed Silvertongue," Darcy said. Despite the undercurrent of seriousness in the conversation, Thor felt a little lighter and he finished his beer off before standing up.

"I am going to talk to Loki," Thor said.

"Good luck taming the wild beast," Darcy joked. Thor laughed too before leaving the room.

* * *

Loki sat in his room staring at the wall. Despite having grown fond of the films that these mortals had on offer, he had no desire to view one. No desire to read or practice magic as was his favourite pastimes of old. Loki felt the struggle in his chest, a familiar feeling from the time he found out exactly what he was; a monster. He knew his mother…that Frigga meant well, that she accepted him and had loved him as she had Thor, helped him refine his natural talent in magic and even taught him how to fight when he struggled to grasp Odin and Thor's kind of battle. He was different. And he didn't know that he would ever feel anything but an ache. Loki was not sure what made him flinch away from the many years that he had known Frigga as his mother; was it that he did not think her such now, or that he did not _deserve_ it? Loki had always been well-aware of his own qualities, be they good ones or bad. However, his good observational skills, his self-perception…he felt his grasp upon it becoming more and more out of reach.

There was a knock on his door and he didn't look up; it was either Thor or Darcy. Thor had stopped making the door quake as of late and had learnt some sense of his own strength, particularly when it came to Midgard. It was maddening; how was Thor becoming the more thoughtful one while he was seemingly the more irrational one? Fuelled by anger and less of the calculated person he once was. The knocking sounded again, signalling to Loki that he had become lost in his own thoughts.

"Loki, open the door! I wish to talk to you," Thor called through. "I _will_ break it down if I have to." An empty threat and they both knew it. Loki's room was surrounded by magic; it would take Thor quite a while to get in. Loki dropped his head back onto the sofa and sighed, staring up at the ceiling. At least _this_ was familiar. He opened the door with his magic and heard Thor come in, closing the door behind him. It was silent for a few moments as Thor walked further in and sat down on the other side of the sofa.

"Loki, I talked to the man and it appears I was too quick to judge," Thor said. Loki didn't move.

"Were you? I really am not in a position of trust here; I am not surprised that you thought I was attempting to defy my punishment," Loki said, which caused Thor to blink at him. If there was one thing Loki was good at, it was surprising Thor. Thor would think he had Loki's reactions and ways worked out, then Loki would turn it all around and become unpredictable again. Needless to say, had he been in a better mood, Loki would have smirked triumphantly.

"I thought you would be angry," Thor stated.

"I just hope that young man does not attempt it again; I did not exactly get to finish what I started," Loki said.

"Fear not, brother, I explained to him the situation and that if he needed anything, he could visit the tower," Thor responded. Loki was still not sure _why_ he insisted on referring to him as his brother; he hardly deserved the title. He furrowed his brow then, looking away from Thor. His chest felt uncomfortably tight and he just wasn't up for anymore interaction.

"Thor, I would really like for you to leave now," Loki said, as politely as he could without having to say please. He could feel Thor's eyes on him for a few moments before he felt the sofa shift and heard the sounds of Thor leaving.

* * *

Thor had returned to the lounge somewhat subdued and it didn't take a genius to figure out that something had happened between the brothers, or at least, Loki had upset him in some way. Darcy decided to leave Jane to comfort Thor, as did Tony, and made her way down to their floor. She walked up to Loki's door and knocked on it. She knocked a few more times before trying the handle. No dice.

"Loki? Come on, open up," Darcy said. Nothing. "Don't be such a baby; let me in." Nope. There was no using the laser cutters; the walls were sealed with magic as was the door. Maybe she should leave him be? The last time she had pushed her luck with regards to his privacy, it had come with a nice little bite in the form of harsh words and Darcy really didn't want to go there again. She looked around the corridor for a moment, wondering what to do with herself now. She stepped closer to Loki's door for a moment.

"Alright, I'm gonna leave you be, but when you do want to leave your bat cave…or, well, watch something, let me know, okay? You'll be sorry to miss Inkheart; it's all about books and the beauty of words and for God's sake, Loki, stop upsetting your brother. He's trying, okay? He loves you, even though most around here think he's mental…" Darcy muttered and winced. "Sorry, um, I don't. Dammit, nevermind, I wouldn't wanna see me either." What the hell, brain?!

Darcy tugged at her door before she heard Jane's voice.

"Darcy, there you are," Jane said. Darcy turned around and saw that her friend was alone.

"Hey, yeah. Where's Thor? I thought you two were being all snuggly snuggly," Darcy said. Jane blushed.

"He and the team were called out for an emergency; it's nothing too big, but you know," Jane said. Darcy put her hands on her chest and sighed mock dreamily.

"To have a superhero boyfriend," Darcy said in a sing-song voice. Jane whacked her on the arm. "Do you want to watch a movie together? Maybe you'll finally dig the dirt on you and Thor!" More blushes but Darcy pulled her into her room, setting up the film and getting the snacks and drink. "Come on. Have you two hit the bed yet? Just nod or shake." Long pause, before Jane sighed and shook her head. "No? Why?"

"Oh, nothing bad, we're just taking it slowly," Jane said.

"Awww, that's so sweet!" Darcy said, dodging a whack to the arm. "You know, my arm will fall off if you keep doing that! But seriously, that's great."

"Yeah. I mean, it's not for being not ready or anything, just…well, he admitted to me that he hasn't had any serious relationships for some time and would like to show me how serious he is by courting me properly," Jane said, before Darcy burst out laughing.

"Sorry, sorry…'courting.' Oh my God, it's like he's walked out of Arthur's court or something," Darcy said. "That's good though; I could imagine him being a bit of a ladies' man. Or whatever. He _is_ hot after all. Not that I would go for him or anything, but I _do_ have eyes."

Jane shook her head at her friend and they both burst into giggles despite themselves. They started watching the film Darcy put in and Darcy felt quite happy.

* * *

About a month passed and no one had seen or heard from Loki, not even Darcy. Considering she saw him far too regularly before to be considered healthy, this meant he must be really upset. Thor had tried a few times over the month to get Loki to open the door and he had not tried to barge in. Thor wasn't even sure Mjolnir would get him inside. Darcy had tried too, discreetly of course, but no answer. Jarvis had confirmed that he had not left his room when no one was looking. The A.I. did not have video or audio access to the rooms, but motion/heat sensors did confirm that Loki was indeed still alive. Darcy could have sworn she saw a look of disappointment from Barton, but then, maybe she was imagining things. She kind of hoped she was, because sure, Loki had killed people, but wishing him dead in return didn't make you any better. She wondered how Erik would feel about this; he had taken himself out of Stark tower as soon as he learnt that Loki was to stay here. Darcy couldn't blame him; he was barely holding onto his own sanity as it was.

Darcy knocked on Loki's door again, calling out to him and finding, once again, no answer. She frowned, knowing that she couldn't get in through cutting down the walls or door because it was sealed with magic, but…wait, the ceiling! Maybe that wasn't protected. Darcy retrieved the laser cutter from her room and went up to the floor above, thankful that the room layouts were all identical. She found the room above Loki's and was even more thankful that no one was occupying it. Darcy walked to the centre around the sofa and cut a hole through the floor. Then there was getting through the ceiling. _Please let me cut through it._ She then stopped; why was she so bothered? Maybe because Loki's brother was such a sad puppy right now; not all the time, but every time she saw him return to his room, he looked at Loki's door with an expression of sadness.

So she tried cutting through the ceiling too. It was difficult to tell, considering it was dark, but once she completed the circle, she put her foot on it and the circle fell. Good. She started lowering herself down.

* * *

Loki had spent the month shut in his room or in the lounge, depending on his mood. He just couldn't stand to be around anyone and was thankful that his…that Thor had enough sense to do no more than knocking and hollering for him. Then again, Thor knew from past experience to leave him be when he didn't want company. It was the great difference between the two; Thor was quite happy to be with people all the time, whereas Loki did need some space from time to time, more so sometimes than others. Today, Loki was lying on the sofa reading a book when he saw something fall onto his legs. A circle of ceiling or something. A noise and a squeak brought his attention upwards and he shoved the ceiling stuff and his book to the side as he saw a rather surprising sight.

The legs and lower torso of a feminine variety, and really, she wasn't wearing the most appropriate attire for breaking and entering. Loki found himself smiling, amused, for the first time in a long while. He did, however, have the decency to lower his gaze from the undergarments of who he would assume was Darcy.

"Dammit, I did _not_ think this through," Darcy cursed. She kept muttering to herself. "Damn boobs, I could have sworn I cut enough room…seriously, talk about boob-blocked." Loki considered standing and helping her, but he needn't have bothered thinking it as a few seconds later she had extricated herself from her position and fallen on top of him, practically straddling his waist. Loki watched her blink, look at how they were positioned and blush. All the while Loki was smiling, amused. It took her a few more moments of looking from his face to herself before blushing even more and whacking him on the chest.

"Oh, I bet you got a good look, you pervert," Darcy said, annoyed, but he didn't think she was truly sincere in her aggravation. He put his hands on her thighs, still smiling.

"Admittedly I did get a rather nice view, however, I assure you that I looked away as soon as the shock quickly washed away," Loki replied. Darcy just stared at him, narrowed eyes, probably trying to work out his sincerity.

"I'll believe you this time, since I'm feeling generous _and_ I broke in again…so, uh, I guess you deserve something for the invasion of privacy," Darcy said. She whacked him again. "But you have been worrying Thor! Why are you locking yourself away and not letting anyone talk to you…well, Thor, and I guess me. I don't think anyone else has tried…seriously, why?" Darcy asked, pushing his hands away and managing to stand herself up without too much embarrassment.

Loki sat up and brushed a hand through his hair, which was a little longer now and less flicky. He felt the sofa dip where she sat down and he turned to her with a guarded expression. "It…is complicated. I'm not even sure how to describe it, nor whether I really…care to," Loki murmured. Silence for a few moments.

"You don't have to talk to me about it, and I guess not to Thor either, I mean, you probably _should_ talk to Thor. He is your brother, no matter what you say, and he still cares for you. Isn't that enough? Thor told me you weren't related by blood, but…that doesn't matter. I have a good friend who was adopted and they told her when she was about eighteen, which is a fairly normal time, but she really didn't care. Why do _you_ care? Adoption is way better than some things. Like, your mom and dad chose to raise you despite not being theirs biologically. They chose to raise you even though they knew there could be problems, like, some children when they're adopted after they are out of the baby stage can be kinda problematic. Yet parents still adopt them and love them. I just…sorry, I know it's nosy, but I'm just trying to say that, regardless of what you've done, you still have a guy out there wanting to be called brother again," Darcy said. Loki was staring straight ahead, unsure of how to answer her exactly. It wasn't quite that simple, though he didn't know how much she knew about his adoption.

"What did Thor tell you, exactly?" Loki asked.

"Not much, just that you were taken in as a baby and not biologically his brother," Darcy said.

"I am not just an orphan; I was abandoned and left to die, on Jotunheim, home of Frost Giants. All because I was small for a Frost Giant," Loki explained.

"I've heard of them. That's harsh, though. I mean, you're pretty giant to me," Darcy said, joking weakly. Loki's lips twitched.

"They are usually far taller than me; even Thor would barely be taller than their waist," Loki said. "They are a monstrous race; they nearly wiped out Midgard over a millennia ago."

"Ahh, so it's also that. You grew up hating the Frost Giants only to find out you are one…that's kinda messed up," Darcy said. "So is that what this month of locking yourself away is about?"

"Not specifically," Loki murmured. Darcy looked at him.

"Loki, I know we're not friends or anything, heck, I'm not really sure why I have been hanging around with you as much as I have. Apart from that one time, which was admittedly not faultless on my half, you've been quite decent to me, which is odd because, well, you've done all of those shit things…anyway, look, I'm willing to hear you out. Even if a mere mortal's opinion and words don't mean anything, they say getting it off your chest really helps," Darcy said. Loki stayed silent and was glad that she seemed to acknowledge that he needed the moment.

"I have turned into the monster Thor and I grew up hearing about and I am not sure that I really deserve to have Thor call me brother," Loki murmured quietly. He swallowed. "I am not sure that I can truly return to being his brother; and then there are moments when I do not want to let go of the anger. Of all of the hatred and betrayal." Darcy was quiet a moment before answering.

"There's more to this story," Darcy stated. She looked at him and saw his eyes. "But you're not ready to disclose that, are you? That's okay."

"Loki, can I ask you something?" Darcy asked.

"You already are," Loki said, a slight playful undertone to his words, but there was no enthusiasm. He saw her expression. "Yes, you may."

"Are you sorry for your actions?" Darcy asked. Loki looked at her and then looked at the ceiling. It was not something he wanted to answer, but he sighed, knowing he had to. He knew he wouldn't have her company anymore if he didn't.

"Yes," Loki said, tiredly. Darcy looked at him for a few moments.

"Then that's all that matters; I think…someone who is at least sorry and is attempting to make amends in his own way deserves to call Thor brother. Not many are like him; he has hope for you and will probably forgive you in time," Darcy said. "How about this: provided you don't fall into the deep end again, we can be friends. I know that's not much, considering it's me, but you haven't got many other options right now, hm? Though I won't take any bullshit of you trading me in when−." Loki's hand had gone over her mouth and he shook his head.

"Friends. I would…like to try that. I…am not sure…whether I can trust−," Loki started, oddly stumbling over his words.

"Hey, man, it takes two. We'll get to know each other and trust will come in time," Darcy said. "Fear not my villainous friend." Loki lightly glared at her to which she winked.


End file.
